Facts about Sleep

According to the German Sleep Society, sleep-wake disorders, which need to be treated urgently, are present in more than 10% of our population, among them 800,000 patients with obstructive sleep apnea and 25,000 patients with narcolepsy. A 2002 National Sleep Foundation poll found that 74% of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 30% get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than 37% are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities. Sleep experts recommend an average of 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and over 80% of Americans believe that not getting enough sleep leads to:

• Poor performance at work
• Risk for injury and poor health
• Difficulty getting along with others

Symptoms of Fatigue
There are many different symptoms of fatigue, including:

• A feeling of indifference to one’s performance
• Increased reaction time
• Decreased ability to concentrate on multiple tasks
• Fixation
• Short-term memory loss
• Impaired judgment
• Impaired decision-making ability
• Distractibility
• Reduced visual perception
• Loss of initiative
• Personality changes and depression

If you operate heavy equipment or drive a vehicle during your shift, you must pay careful attention to signs of sleepiness or fatigue. To ignore signals such as yawning, frequent blinking, and sense of tiredness may put yourself and others at risk.

Fatigue Inducers
Many different activities or situations can cause fatigue including:

• High intensity workloads (critical decision-making overload or work stress)
• High physical or cognitive workload
• Lack of sleep Stress Anxiety
• Poor health Hypoxia (low oxygen)
• Dehydration
• Sleep disorders
• Jet-lag
• Changes in work shifts
• Drug & alcohol effects
• Sleep deficit

Your Biological Clock
Your body has its own clock, known as a biological clock, that tells you when you’re hungry, sleepy, and regulates your body temperature. Most people’s clocks run on a daily rhythm of approximately 24 hours, called a “circadian rhythm.”

What “time” it is varies from person to person:

1. “Morning people” feel most alert early in the day
2. “Night people” like to stay up late

• Night time is very risky for workers, since sleep can become an irresistible urge that is strongest between midnight and six a.m.
• The clock is also programmed to make you feel sleepy in the middle of the afternoon, which can also be a dangerous time.
• Many sleep-related accidents happen between one and five p.m., during the “afternoon lull.”
• Think about your own biological clock:

1. What times of day do you feel most alert?
2. When do you feel drowsy?
3. Do you keep a schedule that lets you follow your clock?

Once you know your own personal cycle, allow for times when you’re likely to be sleepy!

Do you know?
Q1. When I’m drowsy, coffee will wake me up.
TRUE
Incorrect!When you’re tired, your brain can play tricks on you. You may do the wrong thing, or may think you have performed a task that you have not really completed. Everyone becomes less competent when he/she is sleepy.Correct!Correct!Incorrect!Caffeine takes 30 minutes to enter your bloodstream and the effects last only two to three hours, depending on your tolerance level. Once the stimulant effects have worn off, you may have a “rebound effect” and be even more fatigued. CAFFEINE IS NOT A LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTE FOR SLEEP.

Q2. I can tell when I’m about to fall asleep.
TRUE
Incorrect!Since fatigue impairs all mental functions (including perception), people consistently underestimate their levels of fatigue.

Q3. Being sleepy causes you to make mistakes.
TRUE
Incorrect!When you’re tired, your brain can play tricks on you. You may do the wrong thing, or may think you have performed a task that you have not really completed. Everyone becomes less competent when he/she is sleepy.

Tips for Successful Sleep
Remember the following to ensure successful sleep:

• Avoid caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime
• Avoid alcohol, as it can lead to disruptive sleep
• Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime
• Keep a regular sleep schedule (even on days off and weekends)
• Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable
• Drink plenty of water

Promoting Alertness

• Staying alert is critical to the safety of yourself and others around you. Remember to:
• Take short breaks
• Exercise during breaks
• Install bright lights in work areas
• Try to work with a “buddy.”
• Talking with co-workers can help keep you alert
• Eat three normal meals a day.
• Eat healthy snacks, avoiding foods that upset your stomach
• Don’t leave the most tedious or boring tasks to the end of the day when you are apt to feel the drowsiest

Feeling sleepy is especially dangerous when you are on the road

Being sleepy on the road will:

• Slow your reaction time
• Decrease your awareness
• Impair your judgment (just like drugs or alcohol)

Did you know those most at risk of falling asleep while driving are people who:

• Travel long distances without taking breaks
• Travel at times when they are normally asleep
• Drink alcohol or take medication that increases sleepiness
• Drive alone
• Are frequent travelers and shift workers

DRIVING DROWSY CAN BE JUST AS DEADLY AS DRIVING DRUNK!

Driving Safety - Danger Signals

If you have even ONE of these symptoms, you could be sleepier than you think and should pull off the road and take a nap!

• You have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused
• You can’t keep your head up
• You daydream or have wandering, disconnected thoughts
• You yawn frequently or rub your eyes repeatedly
• You find yourself drifting from your lane or tailgating
• You miss signs or drive past your exit
• You feel irritable and restless
• You drift off the road and hit the rumble strips

FACTS:

• Sleep is not something you can decide to do or not to do
• In a study of drivers who fell asleep and crashed, half said they felt only ‘somewhat sleepy’ or ‘not sleepy at all’
• When you are driving, dozing for even a few seconds can be fatal

Remember, when you are not getting the sleep you need, you are at risk…and so are those around you. Inadequate sleep increases our risk for falling asleep at the wheel, accidents on the job, and problems at home.

For more information, you can visit the following websites:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/
www.cdc.gov/niosh/shift.html
http://www.aaafoundation.org/
For a list of National Sleep Societies, such as the European Sleep Research Society, visit:
www.esrs.org/