Lack of sleep impacts productivity, driving
RAYMOND, Miss. -- Almost 37% of American adults do not get the recommended seven hours of sleep a night, and that lack of sleep is causing some serious problems.
Leslie Woolington, safety specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said a lack of sleep can affect a person’s productivity, mental and physical health, driving ability and even their 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,” said Woolington, who also works with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. “Your memory, reflexes and cognitive processing are all degraded with sleep deprivation. This can contribute to an unwanted workplace incident.”
Some factors that affect sleep are beyond a person’s ability to control. These include work stress, family responsibilities and sometimes even health conditions. But there are many factors a person can influence that directly impact sleep quality.
“If you find yourself overly tired, consider adopting some habits that will improve your sleep,” Woolington said.
The first step is to establish a fixed bedtime and wake schedule and stick to it even on the weekends.
“Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle,” Woolington said. “Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.”
Getting ready for bed should include calming activities, such as taking a bath or reading a book. Avoid light-emitting screens before bedtime to help yourself fall asleep more quickly.
“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,” she said. “Read or listen to soothing music and then go back to bed when you’re tired. Repeat as needed but continue to maintain your sleep schedule and wake-up time.”
Good sleep does not just make a person feel better. Lack of sleep leads to drowsy driving, and that is just as dangerous as driving drunk.
“Drowsy driving is impaired driving,” Woolington said. “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.”
Woolington said losing even two hours of sleep has an effect similar to having three beers, and being awake for more than 20 hours is the equivalent of being legally drunk.
According to sleepadvisor.org, in a survey of 1,317 licensed drivers 18 or older, 79% reported zoning out while driving, with the majority said they zone out occasionally. Of these, 21% said they actually fell asleep at the wheel.
“More men reported falling asleep while driving than women, though the difference was only a 5 percent increase,” the sleep health website reported.
Age has very little impact on who falls asleep at the wheel, and most sleep-related accidents occur during nighttime hours.
Woolington urged all drivers to heed warning signs of driving drowsy, including the inability to recall the last miles traveled, difficulty focusing and drifting from the lane or missing traffic signs.
