Sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Like eating right and exercising, sleeping well is essential to feeling your best during the day. It affects how you feel, your relationships, your productivity and your quality of life. While you sleep, your brain goes to work, consolidating the day's learning into memory and reenergizing the body.
26% of women report trouble sleeping at least once a week compared to only 16% of men
19% of individuals ages 45-64 admit to losing sleep due to stress a few nights per week
27% of women say sleep is the most important component to their overall well-being
16% of women would try getting a good night's sleep to improve their overall wellness
Employees are paying a high price for too little sleep when it comes to work productivity, according to new statistics from the Better Sleep Council (BSC). Respondents to the BSC's 2007 Better Sleep Month survey, conducted for Better Sleep Month this May, reported an alarming decline in quality of work, poor judgment and trouble retaining information as the top work-related consequences from lack of sleep. In fact, 44 percent said they were likely to be in an unpleasant or unfriendly mood—all bad news for employers, employees and customers.
"Some believe you can accomplish more if you spend less time sleeping, but limited sleep can affect every aspect of your life, including job performance," said Dr. Bert Jacobson, Better Sleep Month spokesperson and author of the new study Subjective Rating of Perceived Back Pain, Stiffness and Sleep Quality Following Introduction of Medium-Firm Bedding Systems. "In fact, sleep deprivation impacts your level of alertness, your productivity and your ability to socially interact with colleagues."
Studies estimate that sleep deprivation currently costs U.S. businesses nearly $150 billion annually in absenteeism and lost productivity. And Better Sleep Month survey respondents reported sleep deprivation impaired their quality and accuracy of work (31 percent), clear thinking or judgment (31 percent) and memory of important details (30 percent).
Survey results also uncovered that tired employees are turning instead to quick-fix performance enhancers to remedy their sleep deficiency problem, including:
Drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks (33 percent)
Taking a nap (17 percent)
Going outside for fresh air (18 percent)
Only 13 percent of Americans are willing to make the commitment to get more sleep in order to feel more awake and productive at work.
Easy Ways to Conquer Insomnia.
Most adults don't get the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, mainly because of bouts of insomnia. Here are some behavior modifications that can help. Insomnia can be caused by either external stimuli or internal stimuli that hinder your ability to get a good night's sleep. Insomnia can be categorized in two ways: those who have trouble falling asleep and those who have trouble staying asleep. Before you rush to the doctor and demand a sleeping pill, try some of these easy behavior modifications and see if they offer you a more restful sleep.
Silence is golden, especially when it's time for some shut-eye. Unfortunately with the TV on, the husband talking on the phone and the children playing, silence can be a lost cause. Solution? Noise reducing headphones are great at canceling out sounds. Bose makes a great pair, though they are on the pricier side of the scale. For a more affordable option try a sound machine. It fills the bedroom with all kinds of relaxing sounds like rain, running stream, white noise and babbling brook. Homedics makes a very wallet-friendly version as well.
Room Temperature.
A room that is too cold or too hot is not an ideal sleeping environment. According to The National Sleep Foundation, people get a more restful and recuperative sleep if their bedroom is kept slightly cool. Moreover, people whose bedrooms are kept at a warmer temperature are often more restless sleepers, sleep lighter and frequently wake during the night.
Lighting.
Light can contribute to insomnia, as well as a dark bedroom is conducive to a better night's sleep. For some people, even the slightest amount of light disturbs their sleep. Some easy suggestions to block the light out at bedtime is to invest in some good light blocking curtains/drapes. Also, an eye mask can work wonders for keeping things dark.
Physical Comfort Level.
When you're not comfortable, you can't sleep. An old mattress can be a common culprit for body aches, especially those affecting the back, which in turn can cause you to lose sleep. The general rule is to change your mattress every 7-10 years, or when bed-related body aches become noticeable and constant. You can also get the maximum use out of your mattress by flipping it over to keep the wear at a minimum.
Let Go of the Day's Anxieties and Worries.
Rehashing the day's events and problems can be a cause of much anxiety, especially when you find yourself doing it at bedtime. A helpful way to deal with your worries and concerns is to get them down on paper before going to bed. Take a few minutes to write out what is troubling you and some possible solutions. By giving your worries, concerns and anxieties an outlet, you not only find appropriate ways to deal with them (which helps put them in perspective), but this also allows you to sleep without the day's troubles burdening you. If this seems to be a recurring problem for you, make it part of a pre-bedtime routine. Even writing in a journal before bed will help get all of those distracting thoughts out of your head.
Alter Your Bedtime Schedule.
This is primarily intended for people who find themselves waking up in the middle of the night and then cannot go back to sleep. This is because you are going to bed too early. Try winding down with a relaxing activity like reading a good book or watching a movie. Don't feel constricted by your bedtime. If it's 11 PM and you're wide-awake, don't force yourself to sleep. Get out of bed, watch a little TV, go on the Internet. Do these things until you are genuinely tired and then go to bed. Also try to maintain a uniform bedtime schedule on the weekend as well. While it might be tempting to sleep in on the weekends, you should stick to the same routine so that your body can get into a sleep cycle.
