Hey Entrepreneur: You Are NOT A Machine

Science and the bottom line reveal the truth: sleep and success go hand in hand.

If You Lose Sleep, You Lose Money

It’s that simple. When you lose sleep, cortisol—the stress hormone—increases, and your health declines. This sleep deprivation costs businesses dearly, resulting in approximately 11 lost days of productivity per year per worker.

Most people require 9-11 hours of sleep each night. While a small percentage of people known as “short sleepers” naturally thrive on just 4-5 hours due to a genetic mutation, the vast majority cannot train themselves to sleep less without negative consequences.

In cultures that survive on fewer hours of sleep, such as South Korea and Japan, mental health problems like stress-related illnesses and suicides rise dramatically.

Moreover, creativity suffers when you’re sleep deprived — and creativity is what distinguishes humans from machines. Without adequate rest, your ability to innovate and think critically diminishes, harming both personal success and business outcomes.

In short, prioritizing sleep is not a luxury but a critical strategy for maintaining health, boosting productivity, and fostering creativity essential for thriving in today’s fast-paced world.