As we rob the night of sleep hours to get more things done, we deprive our body of much needed time for it to repair and rejuvenate itself. Sleep is what we need to stay alert and focused on the day's activities, especially in the workplace. It is commonly known that although each of us has an internal clock that is based on 24 hours, everyone's internal clock differs.
Because of this, we mistakenly think we can get by with less sleep. This belief is bolstered by a time of improved effectiveness because we have more time to get things done. Most of us, however, fool ourselves and don't see the diminishing returns we are getting from our efforts. In allowing sleep deprivation to creep into our lives, we don't notice that we are getting a lot done but we could have done the same amount faster had we been refreshed and alert. If our sleep is further disrupted by working shifts, the effect of sleep deprivation on the work environment becomes substantial.
Exhaustion, fatigue and lack of physical energy are common sleep deprivation symptoms. Exhaustion and fatigue affect our emotional moods, causing pessimism, sadness, stress and anger. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has suggested that social problems such as road rage may be caused, in part, by a national epidemic of sleepiness. Other medical research at Harvard points to sleep deprivation contributing to an increased heart disease risk, higher risks of diabetes, and obesity. In situational awareness tests, operating on a sleep debt of only 2 hours is equivalent of a blood alcohol content of .06 -.08.
Safety issues arise when people are sleep deprived. Situational awareness decreases, frustration during repetitive tasks increases, and a workforce in general becomes much less productive. Sometimes the behavior of just a few sleep deprived employees disrupts an entire team. And it is difficult to rely on our own sense of whether or not we are getting enough sleep.
We may very well be chronically sleep-deprived and consider that normal. Productivity-wise, it is best to get the amount of sleep that we need, 7-8 hours per night, and not short-change ourselves of this precious commodity. Your sleep, or lack of it, affects your health, your family and your work.
These are addictive stimulants that can keep you awake. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, and smoking in bed is dangerous. Avoid caffeine for eight hours before your desired bedtime. Your body doesn't store caffeine, but it does take many hours for it to eliminate the stimulant and its effects.
Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful. Don't exercise within two hours of your bedtime, however. Exercising right before bed may make getting to sleep more difficult.
Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Adjust the lighting, temperature, humidity and noise level to your preferences. Use blackout curtains, eye covers, earplugs, extra blankets, a fan, a humidifier or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
Daytime naps may steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to less than one hour and don't nap later than 3 p.m. If you work nights, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which adjusts the body's internal clock, doesn't interrupt your sleep. If you work days and sleep at night, but still have trouble waking up, leave the window coverings open and let the sunlight wake you up.
Features of a good bed are subjective and differ for each person. But make sure you have a bed that's comfortable. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. Children and pets are often disruptive, so you may need to set limits if they sleep in bed with you.
Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This may include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music at a specific time, 9:00 PM for example. Relaxing activities done with lowered lights can help ease the transition between wakefulness and sleepiness.
If you don't fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and do something else. Refrain from watching TV if you can. Try reading or similar relaxing activity Go back to bed when you are tired. Don't agonize over falling asleep. The stress will only prevent sleep.
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