Are You Sleepy?

Lack of sleep can affect your productivity, mental & physical health, and even your chances of getting hurt at work. Sleep deprived employees are 70% more likely to be involved in a workplace accident than those who do get a good night’s rest. Your memory, reflexes, and cognitive processing are all degraded with sleep deprivation, which can contribute to an unwanted workplace incident. You might not be able to directly control factors such as work stress or family responsibilities that interfere with your sleep. However, you can adopt habits that encourage better quality sleep. Start with these simple tips:

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle. At least seven hours of sleep is recommended for a healthy adult to be well rested.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
• Do calming activities, such as taking a bath or reading a book beforehand to help yourself fall asleep more quickly. Many also suggest avoiding light-emitting screens just before bedtime. If after about 20 minutes of going to bed you are still laying there wide awake, get up, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music. Go back to bed when you're tired. Repeat as needed but continue to maintain your sleep schedule and wake-up time.

Did you know that driving while drowsy is just as dangerous as driving drunk? Drowsy driving is impaired driving, but while we wouldn't allow a friend to drive drunk, we rarely take the keys away from our tired friends or insist they pull over and take a nap.

• You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are fatigued.
• Losing even two hours of sleep is like the effect of having three beers.
• Being awake for more than 20 hours is the equivalent of being legally drunk.

Here are some warning signs that you may be driving drowsy or sleep deprived:

• An inability to recall the last few miles traveled.
• Disconnected or wandering thoughts.
• Difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open.
• Your head feels heavy.
• Drifting from the lane in which you are driving.
• Yawning repeatedly.
• Missing traffic signs.

Don’t become a statistic. Make every effort to get a good night of rest for a productive, safe day and avoid driving drowsy.

Sources:

• https://www.sleepfoundation.org/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/
• https://www.nsc.org/
• https://www.drivesafeonline.org/