Inadequate sleep can lead to costly decisions, not to mention a lot of mindless web surfing. Courtesy : Miguel Co

Apart from the physical and medical consequences of inadequate sleep, there is a huge economical impact on a nation’s G.D.P. Most of today’s workers rely on their mental and social skills. And if those workers don’t get enough sleep, their lethargy, crankiness and poor decision-making will hurt the economy in assorted and significant ways.

There is an odd divide here. Ask why one person had an unproductive day at work, and lack of sleep often seems an obvious answer. But ask why national productivity has fallen, and reduced sleep can appear to be a frivolous answer. Yet what is total output but the sum of all individuals’ work?

We can do something about this in our own lives. It’s not too late to add a resolution for this still-young year: to partake more in what Shakespeare called the “chief nourisher in life’s feast.” A good night’s sleep has immediate effects on our productivity, and, best of all, it can even help us keep our other resolutions