How Sleep Deprivation Affects Work Performance
Posted in Health & Safety
As our job market revolves, more and more jobs are geared "towards a 27/7 kind of economy" says Mark Rosekind, PhD, president and chief scientist of Alertness Solutions. Thus, more "shifting" is required. And when you get that night shift, it takes a lot more effort to focus on your job.
Take for instance, the case of one airport baggage screener who works a midnight-to-8am shift. He says he loves the flexibility of being able to take care of his son when during his off. However, he admits that his energy and alertness have suffered as a result. At work, although he puts in his best effort, he tends to feel more irritable, looks forward to his break more often, and tries to get passengers through the line at a faster rate. "I guess the quantity of work that a person can do during those hours is less."
The National Sleep Foundation reports that 22 million Americans share the plight of this our airport baggage screener. This is due to the aforementioned shift towards a 24/7 economy. More jobs nowadays require 'round-the-clock attention. Now it's not just the law enforcement jobs, health care, energy, and manufacturing who have rotating schedules. Now industries such as retail, banking, information technology, and the media all require 'round-the-clock attention and rotating schedules.
The National Sleep Foundation took a poll and the results say that half of American employees report that sleepiness on the job interferes with their performance at work. Twenty-six percent would nap during work breaks if their company allowed naps. To add to that, the line between work and home is blurring. Fifty-eight percent bring work home at night to complete. On the other hand, those who work long hours report greater impatience, lower productivity, and difficulty concentrating.
Experts say that shift workers are often the most affected by sleep problems. Their biological clocks are confused. When they try to get some sleep while everyone else is awake and active, they can get disturbed by house noises such as phone calls, kids at home, or a ringing doorbell, as well as neighborhood noises,
Dr. Meir Kryger, professor of medicine at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, says people who don't get enough sleep can exhibit the following symptoms:
- Frequent sleepiness
- Nodding off at meetings or while driving
- Difficulty with concentration
- Lapses in memory
- Poor performance, worse than usual
- Mood changes, such as being more snappy and irritable
These symptoms, when brought to work, can have mild to grave consequences, depending on the job. "If you're sitting around and you're at a computer, it's not a big deal, but if you're operating a motor vehicle, it is a big deal," says Kryger.
For people who think they might have a sleep problem, here are some suggested first steps of action from Kryger and Rosekind:
- Consult your doctor if you have sleep problems and ask how it can be treated.
- Be well informed regarding sleep issues and sleep disorders. Peruse sleep diaries and other resources in website of some respectable organizations such as American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
- Task your doctor to refer you to a sleep specialist. Or you can do your own research at the AASM web site
- Evaluate out your priorities. How important is doing shift work for you?
- Explore your own workplace options. Try talking with your supervisor or your union if there are other jobs that you can take during the daytime.
The AASM reports at least 84 sleep disorders. Shift work is only one of the problems related to sleep that concerns employees and their employers.
