Page 2 - The Leadership Line: April 2024

Sleep Deprivation & Health

Employees’ poor or insufficient sleep can lead them to display a variety of problematic
behaviors, mental health problems, cognitive deficits, and physical illnesses. Each
of these issues can potentially harm an organization (in addition to the employees
themselves) in many ways. Chronic sleep deprivation can exacerbate the body’s stress
response, leading to higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), impacting an
individual’s health and ability to manage stress effectively.

We all have a particular chronotype based on our circadian rhythms. Some of us are
night owls and do our work best late at night, while others are morning people and are
most productive earlier in the day. Whenever possible, honor your natural inclinations
as they relate to your chronotype and put yourself in the best position to thrive. Pay
attention to what times of day you feel most alert and plan to do the most challenging
tasks during those “on” times.

What Chronotype Are You?

The Lion

The lion chronotype stands in for the early bird. These individuals wake up early and are most productive in the
morning but may have more trouble following a social schedule in the evenings. Personality traits associated with
morningness include conscientiousness and agreeableness.

The Bear

According to Dr. Breus, the bear chronotype makes up about 55% of the population. People with this intermediate
chronotype tend to follow the sun. They do well with traditional office hours but also have no problem maintaining
a social life in the evenings.

2 | The Leadership Line