Sleep deprivation makes us useless at work, study shows

Sleep deprivation makes us useless at work, study showsSleep deprivation makes us useless at work, study showsZzzzzzzz. Snooore. Snurrrfle. Zzzzzz.What? Wait, are you here? Sorry We were just napping. As long as youre here, then you probably relate its highly likely youre sleepy as you read this, because were all sleepy at work most days.The National Safety Council released a report based on a survey showing just how many of us are struggling when it comes to getting enough sleep for work the next morning. A whopping 43% of respondents said they fail to get at least 7 hours of shuteye daily, and 97% reported having at least one of the nine fatigue risk factors listed in the study to the point where lack of sleep actually threatened their lives.The studyidentified three ways to spot your own sleep deprivation. First, decreased cognitive performance, then microsleeps followed by increased safety risk.A staggering 97% of respondents said their grogginess took a mental toll, with lower v igilance, attention, memory, concentration and more. Almost half surveyed- 47%- said nodding off happens to them at work. Even worse, 16% said they had at least one safety incident because they were tired.These findings are a literal wake-up call When were tired, we can put ourselves and others at riskWe hope Americans recognize that impairment stems not just from alcohol and drugs, but lack of restorative rest fitness for duty starts with getting a good nights sleep, said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council.How our sleep deprivation gets this badHow do we let this happen? Because were working really hard. Around 81% of respondents had jobs they considered demanding.Among the list of risk factors Long shifts, long weeks, no rest breaks, working very late or very early, and not getting at least 12 hours between shifts. Demanding jobs and long commutes were also common.Not surprisingly, the more jobs people had, the worse their sleep deprivation. Sixty-seven percent of people who said they work more than one job also said they work 50+ hours weekly, which, the study says, puts them in danger of sleep deprivation. Heres how to address sleep deprivation.Get some exerciseTire yourself out. The National Sleep Foundation sheds light on how this can enhance your sleep.Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration. Exercise may also bolster sleep in other ways, because it reduces stress and tires you out. Early morning and afternoon exercise may also help reset the sleep wake cycle by raising body temperature slightly, then allowing it to drop and trigger sleepiness a few hours later. It can be especially helpful if you are able to exercise outdoors and let your body absorb natural sunlight during the daytime hours, the page says.Make your room as dark as possibleThe National Sleep Foundation also suggeststhat you consider low-wattage, incandescent lamps at your bedside to help you wind down in the hours be fore sleep and covering up areas where you can see artificial light both inside and outside, and more. When you think your room is dark enough, make it even darker. And of course no smartphones or electronics, which have a blue light that signals to your brain that it should wake up even when its not ready.Take a warm showerLifehacker provides advice get warm.If you often have trouble falling asleep quickly, perhaps a change in your shower schedule can help. Taking a warm shower or bath at night adjusts your body temperature so youre nice and groggy by the time you hit the sack. When you come out of a warm shower into a cooler bedroom, your body temperature will drop. That drop in temperature signals your body that its time to rest, slowing down essential metabolic functions including heart rate, breathing, and digestion, the article says.Also,check out these tips if insomnia holds you back from getting the sleep you need. And turn in early tonight- right after you read this, of co urse.