This weekend our clocks will “spring forward” as part of daylight saving, and we look forward to longer days of daylight. But losing that one hour of sleep can significantly impact employees both mentally and physically in the form of day-time fatigue and/or poor concentration, says HCML.
While it will take some time for our body’s Circadian rhythm to re-adjust to the new cycle, it raises concerns around how sleep can impact employees within the workplace. Fatigue and poor sleep are important topics for all employers, regardless of shift patterns or if role is considered safety critical, and should be managed like any other risk within the workplace.
The impact of poor sleep for the individual is determinantal to their health and wellbeing, but also impacts the business through the loss of productivity, engagement, increase risk of accidents, attendance and absence and fitness of their employees.
Top five tips for improving sleep:
View sunlight/bright light for 5-10 minutes within 30 minutes of waking.Keep a regular bedtime routine, even on the weekends.Reduce artificial light from phones/tablets/computer screens in the evening. The blue light from these devices suppresses the release of melatonin.Evening lighting should be dim and low to the ground.Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep each night. If you would like to get more sleep, move up your bedtime by around 15 minutes to start with, and gradually build up on this over a week; creating a new sleep routine should be slow and steady.
Victoria Davidson, Director of Wellbeing, healthcare rm, part of HCML: “Sleep is essential for optimal health and wellbeing and is as fundamental to our survival as eating, breathing, hydration and movement. Poor sleep is associated with a range of short and long-term negative health outcomes. This can affect our thoughts, emotions and behaviours in the workplace too, increasing the risk of accidents and making us more susceptible to infections, pain, cognitive decline and anxiety and depression.
“When we get a good night’s sleep, we notice an immediate improvement the following day. Sleep can increase our creativity, improved productivity, energy, enhanced physical performance, reduced sickness absence, fewer injuries, faster healing, and a brighter mood!”
About HCML
HCML is the one of the UK’s most comprehensive and independent providers of rehabilitation treatment and care management solutions with over 200+ employees. Established in 2003, HCML specialises in accelerating recovery, providing case management and treatment services to customers from the insurance industry, solicitors and corporate & public sectors.
Through our innovative and clinically robust approaches, we achieve better functional outcomes and increased independence across all psychological, physical, social and vocational factors for rehabilitation clients. The Company is focused on delivering high quality services, delivered by specialist case managers, supported by innovative technology, to ensure best-in-class outcomes for service users.
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