I've written before about how millennials are changing the workplace in terms of technology use, cultural attitudes, and even the distribution of the workforce. But there’s a subtle way millennials could be reshaping the workplace, and it might be beneficial for everyone: it’s all in how they sleep.
What the Research Says
There are some conflicting reports on how often millennials sleep, but the general consensus is that they’re sleeping more hours of the day. For example, one study by the American Bureau of Labor Statistics found that millennials are sleeping an average of 25 minutes longer each night. With the average American sleeping 6.8 hours per night, that propels millennials straight into the recommended “7 to 9 hours” category.
Compared to other generational groupings, millennials are doing well in terms of the number of total hours slept. Generation X members appear to be the worst. However, millennials are also reporting higher levels of stress, casting some doubt on the true quality of the sleep they’re getting—but for now, let’s focus on the positives.
Okay, But Why?
There are a handful of potential explanations for this apparent increase in sleep. For starters, it could be attributable to a third factor, not linked to any professional habits. Millennials could be getting more hours of sleep, on average, due to their higher rate of unemployment (nearly double the national average). All those unemployed and underemployed workers could be getting a few extra hours of sleep, artificially boosting the overall average.
It could also be due to millennials’ collective emphasis on the importance of work-life balance. It’s well documented that millennials, more than generations before them, want flexibility, breaks and time to focus on personal development. This increased emphasis on personal time and decreased emphasis on working long hours could be what’s allowing millennials more time for sleep.
Beyond that, millennials’ use of technology could be partially responsible for the increase in sleep. Millennials are thought to use technology more often, which isn’t exactly true—instead, they’re more accepting of the technology that does exist. That could make them more likely to use technology intelligently to get more sleep, such as using red light apps to filter out wakefulness-inducing blue light, or using apps to help them get to sleep.
The Benefits
So what are the benefits of getting more sleep every night?
- Cognitive performance. Longer hours of more restful sleep help boost cognitive performance in several areas. Well-rested individuals are better at forming short-term and long-term memories, are capable of performing more complex mental tasks and tend to have faster reaction times, all of which can be important in a high-stress work environment.
- Total productivity. It’s estimated that poor sleep habits cost American businesses more than $411 billion every year. Employees who show up to work well-rested tend to experience less stress, focus more effectively and complete more tasks in the same amount of time. On top of that, their ability to get more done in a given day prevents them from needing to work additional hours, which allows them additional time to keep their positive sleep cycle going.
- Health benefits. Failing to get enough sleep every night increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and dozens of chronic conditions. It even weakens your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to common ailments like the cold. That means millennials, who get more sleep, are less likely to take sick days or show up to work while physically less able to complete their responsibilities.
The Influence
It’s hard to say how much influence millennials are having on the rest of the workforce—especially since the sleep habits of Generation X remain in the statistical valley here. However, millennials are now the largest generation in the workforce today, and that impact is difficult to write off.
As millennials rise to more prominent leadership positions within organizations, their sleep habits could positively influence their peers and generations to come after them. With millions of American workers failing to get enough sleep on a regular basis, that can only mean good things for the workplace of the future.
