One-third of Americans are suffering from insomnia, affecting worker health and job satisfaction as well as business productivity and turnover rates, a new National Sleep Foundation report has found.

In addition to typical anxieties, the dismal state of the nation’s economy has many Americans worrying about their jobs, finances and future, so much so that one-third of the U.S. population is losing sleep over it, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reports.

In its 2009 Sleep in America poll, the NSF found that the number of people reporting sleep problems had increased 13 percent since 2001 and those who sleep less than six hours a night jumped from 13 percent to 20 percent in the past eight years. Americans who reported sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38 percent to 28 percent.

“It’s easy to understand why so many people are concerned over the economy and jobs, but sacrificing sleep is the wrong solution,” says NSF CEO David Cloud. “Sleep is essential for productivity and alertness and is a vital sign for one’s overall health.”

Along with alertness, lack of sleep also has a negative effect on mood, which can lead to cranky, unhappy workers. According to the NSF, 54 percent of those losing sleep over economic concerns also had difficulty with their feelings. Recent studies also warn that poor sleep “can unhinge the mind and increase the risk for depression and other full-blown psychiatric conditions,” The StarPhoenix says.

New Scientist refers to several studies suggesting insomnia precedes depression and other psychiatric disorders. A 2006 study on depression and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) by a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, for instance, found that for each increase in a person’s SDB condition, their odds of getting depression almost doubled. “Depression cannot have been the main cause of poor sleep, since we know SDBs stem from physical factors,” the researchers noted. “Instead, this work suggests that sleep disorders lead to depression.”

Another study, by psychologist Matt Walker at the University of California Berkeley, found that sleep deprivation bumps up stress hormone levels and makes people more anxious and unable to react to emotional stimuli in an appropriate way. Walker showed gruesome images to people who were sleep deprived for 35 hours and those who were rested. The sleep-deprived group produced 60 percent more activity in the amygdala — “a primitive, emotionally reactive part of the brain” — than the well-rested people. Further brain scans revealed that the amygdala of the sleep deprived was failing to communicate with the frontal lobe of the brain, which normally acts as an “emotional break” and prevents us from blowing our top at the slightest provocation, Walker concluded.

“When you are tired, when you’re worn out, then everything becomes more of a challenge for you,” Dr. Adam Moscovitch, medical director of the Canadian Sleep Insitute, tells The StarPhoenix.

Indeed people sleeping too few hours were not only irritable, but were also too tired to work efficiently. This costs American companies tens of billions of dollars in lost productivity, the NSF said last year. The 2008 Sleep in America reported that in a month’s time, 12 percent of respondents said they were late for work because of sleepiness.

The latest NSF sleep report card also adds that 60 percent of those at increased risk for insomnia say their symptoms affected their daily activities at least a few days a week. Seventy-three percent said insomnia impacted their mood, 63 percent had difficulty paying attention or concentrating, and 36 percent had diminished job performance.

Along with decreased productivity, sleepy employees can also affect a company’s turnover rate. According to a survey from the University of Florida, lack of sleep causes employees not only to be irritable, but also makes them “dislike or even hate their jobs the next morning,” AccountingWEB notes. Employees who had slept soundly the night before reported higher job satisfaction rates than their drowsy counterparts, the survey said.

“We know from other research that people who are dissatisfied with their jobs leave organizations at higher rates than those who are happy and committed to their jobs,” Brent Scott, University of Florida graduate student who led the research, added.

Scott suggests that companies can address this problem by giving employees flexibility in their schedules and offering wellness programs designed to teach employees how to reduce insomnia.

For the employees’ part, there are several steps workers can take to get a good night’s sleep. The NSF recommends adults get seven to nine hours of sleep daily and offers these tips for getting much-needed rest:

• Maintain a regular bed and wake time — including weekends;
• Set a regular, relaxing bedtime routine;
• Create a dark, quiet, comfortable and cool sleeping environment;
• Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex;
• Finish eating two to three hours prior to bedtime;
• Exercise regularly but finish the work-out three hours before bedtime; and
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol close to bedtime.

If you are still having sleep problems, NSF suggests consulting your doctor.

Earlier/Related

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Resources

One-Third of Americans Lose Sleep Over Economy
National Sleep Foundation, March 2, 2009

2009 Sleep in America Poll
National Sleep Foundation, March 2, 2009

National Sleep Foundation Community Sleep Awareness Partner Toolkit
National Sleep Foundation, 2008

Sleep Tips
National Sleep Foundation

Longer Work Days Leave Americans Nodding Off On the Job
National Sleep Foundation, March 3, 2008

Sleep Report Card
National Sleep Foundation

Are Bad Sleeping Habits Driving Us Mad?
by Emma Young
New Scientist, Feb. 18, 2009

Lack of Sleep Could be Driving Us Mad: Study
by Sharon Kirkey
The StarPhoenix, April 13, 2009

Lack of Sleep Leads to Job Dissatisfaction
Sept. 15, 2008