Health management: The high cost of poor sleep

As employees struggle to balance work, family and social obligations, one thing they often neglect is sleep. In their 2015 joint position paper, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommended that adults should sleep seven hours or more each night on a regular basis in order to promote optimal health.

However, many American workers are not getting enough sleep — and employers are footing the bill. A 2011 study found that sleep deprivation costs businesses in the US an estimated $63.2 billion annually in lost productivity. And according to Willis Towers Watson’s 2015/2016 Global Staying@Work Survey, lack of sleep was not only the fifth work force health and productivity issue facing organizations in the US, but it was also fifth globally.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “a third of US adults report they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep.” Sleep time that is less than the recommended amount is considered “short duration sleep,” which is defined as less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. Adults who are “short sleepers” are more likely to report that they smoke, are obese and physically inactive, compared with adults who slept the recommended amount. Inadequate sleep has also been linked to chronic disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.

A study by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine outlined the impact of sleep disturbances on work performance and productivity. Employees at four corporations were surveyed about their sleep patterns and were classified into four groups: insomnia, insufficient sleep syndrome, at risk and good sleep. Results showed that the insomnia and sleep syndrome groups had significantly worse productivity, performance and safety outcomes. Fatigue- related productivity losses in this study were estimated to cost nearly $2,000 per employee annually.

Poor quality sleep reveals itself in the workplace as irritability and decreased productivity, including less attention to detail and poor communication. In 2014, Ceridian conducted the Workplace Wake- Up Call: Pulling Back the Covers on Sleep Deficiency survey. Six hundred and ninety-six human resource respondents from the US and Canada cited sleep deficiency as contributing to errors, workplace stress, illness, absenteeism, interpersonal conflicts, employee self- medication and presenteeism.

To help protect productivity and mitigate risks, employers should support employees’ sleep health and wellbeing. Here are several strategies to help employees get a better night’s sleep.

- Allowing flexible scheduling. Flexible scheduling requires employees to be available within core hours during the day (for example, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), but allows them to vary their start and end times. This allows employees to better manage their work, family and personal obligations, and find more time for sleep in their daily routines. - Allowing telecommuting. Allowing employees to work remotely can be a great way to promote a healthier sleep cycle. If your company is located in a city, this may be especially valuable, as employees will likely have longer and more stressful commutes. Instead of spending 60 minutes in the car, employees can spend this extra time sleeping so they are refreshed when they begin their day.

- Installing nap or relaxation rooms. Several high- profile companies have installed nap rooms in their offices in recent years. Studies have shown that taking a short nap can boost creativity, improve alertness and enhance performance. Not only can nap rooms reduce on-the-job fatigue, but they can be a valuable recruitment and retention tool.

- Offering sleep education and wellbeing programs. Consider providing educational articles and tips about the importance of sleep. Health management programs can also focus on healthy sleep habits. Many wearable devices can now track sleep patterns, are relatively low cost, and can be incorporated into your well-being program.

- Put it on the calendar. Promote National Sleep Awareness Week in April and Drowsy Driving Prevention Week in November.

- Review your benefits. Consider including treatment for sleep apnea in your health plan benefits.

These strategies may not be conducive to every office. When evaluating these options, it’s important to evaluate your workplace environment and the needs of your employees. Consider surveying employees about their current workloads and sleep habits to see what strategies may resonate with them. Ask employees to rank or provide input on the value of telecommuting, flexible scheduling and nap room options. These steps can put your organization on the right track to a well-rested and productive work force.