In yesterday’s Advisor, we looked at the importance of getting enough sleep and gave several tips on how to do so. Today, we get more training information on how to sleep well, how to combat drowsiness on the job, what to do if you’re tired enough to be a hazard, and what to do if sleep problems persist.
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Sleep is part of your overall health and fitness, and other contributors to health can also contribute to good sleep:
- Regular exercise helps you sleep, especially if done on a regular schedule in the afternoon or early evening. Exercising right before you go to bed, however, will probably wake you up.
- Three balanced meals each day will keep you from being hungry at bedtime. But try to avoid rich, spicy food before going to bed.
- A snack before sleep helps some people, but keep it light. Your best bet is probably that old folk remedy: warm milk.
There are also some things to avoid before sleep:
- Caffeine is a stimulant, so drinking coffee, tea, or soft drinks within 4 hours of bedtime can leave you tossing and turning.
- Nicotine is a stimulant, too, and can help keep you awake.
- Alcohol may help you go to sleep, but it will also keep you from sleeping soundly. When the alcohol’s effects wear off, you may well find yourself wide awake.
- Sleeping pills should be used only with great caution and when prescribed by a doctor for a short-term problem. Long-term use or abuse can create more problems than it solves.
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Combat drowsiness at work
Sometimes, despite your best efforts to get a good night’s sleep, you feel tired during the day. Often you can revive yourself fairly easily.
- Take breaks during your work time.
- Get up, walk around, and do a few stretches.
- Have a refreshing soft drink or a cup of coffee or tea—but don’t overdo the caffeine.
A lot of people feel tired in the afternoon, after lunch. That probably has less to do with what you ate than with your body rhythm slowing down. One way to deal with that—and improve your overall fitness—is to incorporate some exercise into your lunch hour. A brisk walk, even around the plant or parking lot, can help work off a few lunchtime calories and make you more alert for the next part of the day.
Take Action to Avoid Accidents
Sometimes, however, that’s not enough. Remember that fatigue can cause mistakes and accidents. If you really believe that you might be a hazard, take action.
- Let your supervisor know that you’re exceptionally tired and afraid of making a dangerous mistake.
- You might be able to switch to a task that doesn’t require as much alertness and attention or involve safety risks.
- Someone else might be able to back you up on the job.
- Work with your supervisor to handle the situation.
When Sleep Problems Persist
Suppose you do all you can to get on a regular schedule of sound sleep and you’re still tossing and turning and feeling dangerously tired on the job. Then you probably have to look closer for a physical or emotional problem.
You probably know if you are worried about personal problems or are feeling depressed. If this goes on for an extended period, consider talking with a professional counselor. Regular worry, anxiety, tension, and depression can ruin your health and make your waking hours pretty miserable, too. You owe it to yourself to do something about it.
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Sleep problems can also have a physical basis. If you don’t know why you wake up tired, it may be because you snore. Some snoring is what is called sleep apnea, a breathing blockage that causes a regular cycle of waking, snorting, and gasping for air, and falling back to sleep. Some people even stop breathing briefly and repeatedly during the night. There are several forms of sleep apnea, and if you might have this or some other physical sleep disorder, see a doctor.