FAQ

Health and Safety - Some Frequently Asked Questions about Sleep

Do you know how to sleep? An odd question perhaps, but both biological and sociological research has shown that there are better and worse ways of resting. We spend almost a third of our lives sleeping, and the pressures we face in waking – and working – life are only increasing. According to research by the polling firm MORI, a significant minority of people in Britain are not getting the basic requirements for a good night’s rest – this affects both their working life and the health and safety. The MOR I poll showed that people in the 35-44 age group think that they are the most sleep deprived in Britain. More worrying is the figure that almost half - 48 per cent - say they do not get enough sleep, compared to four out of ten of the general population.

Fatigue from a lack of sleep can have substantial consequences for both workers and their companies. There are less efficient at work, and enjoy a lower quality of life than those of their cohort who sleep well. This is a particular concern for people working in the logistics and transport or in the emergency services, where even small errors in judgement can cost lives.

Legal errors, road accidents, confidential material being sent out by email, workers losing their temper with colleagues, medical mishaps, important information being incorrectly deleted from files, and safety procedures being breached have all been caused by stressed and over-tired employees.

A survey of 1200 people carried out by the Work Life Balance Centre and Keele University has found that work-related Illness has reached record levels with two thirds of people seeking help for their medical problems. The most common symptoms were irritability, fatigue, a lack of concentration and sleeplessness.