It is commonly accepted that fatigue in the workplace is a growing concern for employers and employees alike. Leading to poor productivity, lowered concentration, safety risks and depleted morale, this silent workplace hazard seems to be unavoidable in our busy modern lives. Or is it? In this article we take a look at the symptoms and treatments available to restore your workforce to the productive and proactive team you know they have the potential to be.
Sleep deprivation, or simply a few lost hours in your regular sleep routine, can cause havoc during waking hours leading to frustration, loss of motivation, lethargy, depression and general feelings of unwellness. The good news? You can rest assured that in feeling this way you are not alone; at any given time one in ten people in the UK are suffering from persistent tiredness, with women more likely to be affected than men, but there are simple solutions to end your sleepless situation. Identifying the cause(s) of your sleeplessness is key to unlocking the potential of a good nights sleep. Often simple steps are all that is required to induce a good night time routine to lull yourself into a peaceful slumber:
Avoid:
- extreme temperatures in your bedroom
- eating and drinking 2 hours before bedtime
- taking a nap after 4pm or for over an hour
- exercising too close to bedtime
- lying in bed awake
- using electronic devices in the hour before sleep time
Try:
- sleeping in a cooler room between 15 – 18C
- keeping your bedroom peaceful and for sleep only
- removing all electronic devices including phones, tablets and TVs from your bedroom
- making sure you have a comfortable bed to sleep in
- getting to bed and waking up at the same time every day
- relaxing before bedtime - read, listen to music, take a warm bath
- getting all the stresses and strains of the day out of your head – confide in someone close or write them down in a diary or journal
If the above sleep tips just don’t work for you and the only shut-eye you seem to achieve is during working hours, perhaps it’s time to look deeper at the underlying causes of your sleep deprivation. Often emotional and lifestyle aspects in your daily routine are to blame. Stress, depression and demanding lifestyles such as parenting or shift work often leave people feeling drained of energy and unable to ‘switch off’ at night time. Similarly, illness, being over or underweight, a lack of physical activity and what you eat and drink can all affect your ability to rest and recuperate effectively.
By keeping a sleep journal you will begin to understand what helps or hinders your ability to sleep sufficiently and routinely enough to remain healthy and happy. In your sleep journal, take note of the time you go to bed, the time you wake up, how long it took you to fall asleep, how many times you woke up, what you consumed during the day, how much exercise you did during the day and what stressors you faced. Review your journal frequently to identify the good and bad habits you consciously and unconsciously carry out then begin to make small changes to your waking and pre-sleep routine which may result in big differences to your quality of life.
Contact info@fitnut.co.uk to receive your free sleep journal, for more sleep tips and helpful information, or to arrange a Sleep and Relaxation Workshop for your employees in the comfort of your workplace.