In the wake of National Sleep Awareness Week, we look at some of the hidden health and business costs of tired employees, as well as ways to improve your sleeping habits.

Being tired is an all-too-common affliction in today’s hectic workplace, and while most people have some strategies for coping with exhaustion, there are numerous hidden costs to being poorly rested — both for an individual’s and a business’s health. A good night’s rest cannot be overestimated, making it vital for tired workers to improve their sleeping habits and find more effective ways to recuperate from the stress of daily life.

“It’s been reported that at least 50 percent of Americans are chronically sleep deprived,” Entrepreneur.com notes. “If a bit of sleep deprivation seems like par for the course to you, consider that even just a slight sleep deficit has proven to decrease cognitive functioning, including processing time, ability to perform complex tasks, creativity and memory, weight gain, loss of coping skills, increased anxiety and decreased immunity.”

According to the latest annual poll from the National Sleep Foundation, 43 percent of Americans between the ages of 13 and 64 say they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep during the week. Sixty percent say they experience a sleep problem every night or nearly every night, and 63 percent say their sleep needs are not being met during the week.

The majority of respondents say they need approximately seven and a half hours of sleep a night to feel well-rested, yet most report getting an average of six hours and 55 minutes. Around 15 percent of adults aged 19 to 64 say they typically get less than six hours of sleep a night.

“Yet whether it’s the result of overwork or a crying baby at home, sleep deprivation isn’t just an employee’s problem. Gone untreated, studies show, a sleepy workforce can cut into productivity, raise the risk of workplace injuries and lower employee job satisfaction, among other problems,” Inc.com explains. “What’s certain is that much of the U.S. labor force is dog tired.”

Lack of sleep significantly lowers cognitive performance, which can result in lost work productivity and potentially costly mistakes. In fact, Inc.com reports that sleepy workers cost U.S. employers up to $136.4 billion a year. Moreover, sleep problems that go untreated can lead to more serious health problems, costing employers more than $1,000 on average in added health care expenses.

“Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat,” Harvard Medical School explains. “Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.”

Incidentally, tools designed to enhance productivity may actually be contributing to sleep deprivation, as heavy use of laptops, computers and cell phones impedes our ability to rest properly. The National Sleep Foundation found that artificial light exposure from various screens in the hours before bedtime suppresses the release of sleep-promoting hormones, and the presence of “alerting technologies” contributes to people routinely getting less sleep than they need.

“Unfortunately, cell phones and computers, which make our lives more productive and enjoyable, may also be abused to the point that they contribute to getting less sleep at night, leaving millions of Americans functioning poorly the next day,” Russell Rosenberg, vice chairman of the National Sleep Foundation, said.

Although many Americans try to cope with tiredness by consuming caffeine — with the average person drinking three 12-ounce caffeinated beverages each weekday — a healthier option is to focus on sleeping better.

The Mayo Clinic offers the following tips to getting a good night’s rest that can benefit your health and, ultimately, your work:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends. This will help establish a stable sleep-wake cycle for your body.
• Don’t eat or drink a large amount before bedtime because this can disturb your sleep and cause you to wake up throughout the night.
• Avoid nicotine, tobacco and alcohol in the evening, as these substances are stimulants that can keep you awake, particularly caffeine, with effects that can last for hours.
• Exercise regularly because physical activity greatly helps you fall asleep faster and leads to a more restful sleep.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet by adjusting the lighting, temperature, humidity and blocking out noise to create a peaceful rest environment.
• Avoid naps because they can steal hours from nighttime sleep. If you have to nap, try to do so in the mid-afternoon and limit it to a half-hour.
• Make sure your bed is comfortable for you and try to limit how often your pets or children are allowed to sleep in it.
• Establish a bedtime routine that helps you relax, such as taking a warm bath or shower, listening to soothing music, reading a book or simply dimming the lights.
• Go to bed when you’re tired and if you don’t fall asleep within the next 15-20 minutes, get up and do something else until you’re sufficiently tired. Agonizing over sleeplessness actually keeps you from falling asleep.
• Use sleeping pills as a last resort and only after consulting with a doctor.

“Nearly everyone has occasional sleepless nights. But if you have trouble sleeping on a regular or frequent basis, see your doctor,” the Mayo Clinic advises. “You could have a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Identifying and treating the cause of your sleep disturbance can help get you back on the road to a good night’s sleep.”

Earlier

Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Or Too Much?

How Are You Sleeping?

Americans Losing Sleep Over Economy

Resources

Deprived of Sleep and Productivity
by Kristin Wehner Keffeler
Entrepreneur.com, April 25, 2008

…Exploring Connections with Communications Technology Use and Sleep
National Sleep Foundation, March 7, 2011

The Nightmare of Too Little Sleep
by Angus Loten
Inc.com, April 13, 2007

Importance of Sleep: Six Reasons Not to Scrimp on Sleep
Harvard Health Publications (Harvard Medical School), January 2006

10 Tips for Better Sleep
Mayo Clinic, July 7, 2009