Working Parents and Sleep Deprivation

Sleep, Performance and Working Parents: Why Employers Should Pay Attention

Sleep deprivation isn’t just a personal health issue, it’s a workplace issue. From reduced productivity and focus to increased stress and conflict, the ripple effects of poor sleep show up at work every day.

For working parents and carers, sleep deprivation is often unavoidable, particularly in the early years of parenting or when juggling work and caregiving responsibilities. And yet, many organisations still overlook sleep as part of their wellbeing strategy.

To understand more, we spoke with Maryanne Taylor, qualified sleep consultant, P&P panel expert and host of our wellbeing webinar How to Get Better Sleep in a Changed World, to explore the impact of sleep deprivation—and what employers can do to help.

What is sleep deprivation, and why does it matter? (Keeping the same)

Sleep deprivation is not just about ‘feeling tired’.  It can also cause serious problems in both personal life and in the workplace.

Life has become defined by long working hours, continuous use of mobile technology, and the need to function across different time zones.  All of these are significant contributors to sleep problems, with most people trying to balance at least one of these factors with getting a good night’s sleep. For working parents, the effects can be especially hard due to interrupted nights and early mornings. (changed this sentence only)

Maryanne’s everyday tips for better sleep:

  1. Reduce the overall caffeine intake and only drink non-caffeinated drinks after lunchtime.
  2. Make sure you eat breakfast and don’t skip other meals. Avoid heavy, rich food in the evening and be cautious with spicy or acidic foods which can cause heartburn.
  3. If you’re sitting in an office all day, get up and walk around from time to time; go outside at lunchtime.
  4. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of insomnia and increase the amount of time you spend in the deep levels of restorative sleep.
  5. Expose yourself to natural light during the daytime hours and keep the room dark at night.
  6. Avoid late night television or screen time. All screens emit blue light, which is particularly disruptive to sleep patterns, so avoid using any screens in the hour before you go to bed.
  7. Leave stress behind by writing down tomorrow’s to-do list at the end of each working day and try to put those items out of your mind once they are written down.

So how can lack of sleep affect work performance? (Keeping the same)

It can affect it on so many levels – productivity, quality of performance and even relationships with work colleagues.  Without adequate sleep, concentration, learning and communication levels can be significantly compromised.

Memory lapses are common after a poor night’s sleep and problem-solving abilities decline.  In the vast majority of roles, working memory and processing ability are important for most tasks and require a great deal of focus and concentration.  A reduction in the quantity and quality of sleep causes productivity and efficiency levels to be significantly reduced.

And it’s not just work performance which is affected.  Sleep-deprived people can be moody and less tolerant of co-workers on a personal and professional level.  They may be more prone to outbursts and other relationship-limiting behaviours.  Work relationship problems not only impact on the individuals, bit often on the entire team, and may lead to inefficiency and job dissatisfaction.

Adding. ✍️ Employer insight: Employees running on limited sleep are more likely to experience poor concentration, short-term memory lapses, lower problem-solving capacity, and increased emotional

Insufficient sleep shows up in the workplace though:

  • Reduced productivity and quality of work
  • Difficulty with concentration, learning, and decision-making
  • Short-term memory lapses that hinder everyday tasks
  • Strained relationships with colleagues due to low tolerance and poor emotional regulation
  • Lower morale and engagement, potentially impacting team cohesion

Sleep-deprived employees may not only perform below their potential, they may also feel demotivated, misunderstood, or unsupported.

What employers can do:

Creating a culture that acknowledges and supports sleep—especially for working parents—can improve wellbeing and productivity across your workforce. Maryanne recommends:

✅ Encourage open conversations about sleep and mental load, especially in manager check-ins
✅ Promote small but effective changes like screen curfews and realistic expectations during family transitions
✅ Include sleep support in your wellbeing programme or EAP
✅ Share strategies and resources in parent/carer networks
✅ Run awareness sessions such as our Sleep & Wellbeing Webinar with Maryanne

Final thought: Why sleep belongs on your wellbeing agenda

At Parent & Professional, we help organisations support their people through real-life challenges like parenthood, sleep deprivation, and work-family balance.

👉 Contact us to bring practical, expert-led support into your workplace

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