March is “National Bed Month” (No, this does not mean that we can spend March in bed). It is organised by The Sleep Council with the aim to remind us all of why a sound sleep is good for our health.
Sleep (and the lack of) affects every aspect of our waking lives, both personal and working. How much sleep an individual gets has an effect on all aspects of their working life such as productivity, performance, safety and morale, as well as their health.
In order to maintain health and normal activity, it is recommended that an individual has between seven and nine hours a night. It is estimated that a third of adults do not get the recommended sleep.
What Influence Does a Lack of Sleep Have?
A lack of sleep or sleep problems cost the economy a substantial sum each year in missed work days, reduced productivity, higher rates of accident and injury and greater reliance on health care services (more doctor and hospital visits, higher prescription and over-the-counter sleep and other medication use).
During our busy lives, the first thing that we usually “give up” is sleep. Trying to juggle workloads, family life, social life and home life can get too much. Sleep is the thing that we give up, either by going to bed later or getting up earlier to fit it all in, or may be not being able to sleep due to the worry of everything that we have to do.
How Can Employers Help Sleep-Deprived Staff?
As an employer, even though you cannot control what your staff do outside of working hours, there are a few things you can do to try and improve the workplace for your staff.
Natural light helps regulate body sleep cycles, so pulling back the blinds could help. It is also all too easy to eat lunch at your desk and work through. However, you should encourage your staff to go out for a walk during their break.
Try to ensure that your staff have a work life balance. Whilst staff working late may sound like they are the most productive, in fact being overworked can lead to them underperforming. If staff cannot complete their tasks during their normal working hours, you should reassess their workload to see if they are overworked or if there is some other issue for them not being able to complete their tasks in a timely manner.
Smart phone watches are becoming increasingly popular. You could suggest that your staff download an app to monitor their sleep pattern instead. By monitoring your sleep patterns, it can make you aware of how good or poor it is and make the necessary improvements/changes where needed.
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