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Sleep Awareness Week 2017

The theme of this year’s Sleep Awareness Week is ‘Better Sleep Equals Smarter, Safer Workplaces’ and here at TMS, we could not agree more.

So why is sleep (and reducing fatigue) so important for business success?

With sleep problems, including fatigue, costing Australian businesses over $3 billion a year in relation to productivity and error, it’s crucial to know how to control fatigue in the workplace. Additional billions are also being lost over the cost of the ten thousand serious workplace injuries caused annually by poor alertness. It’s undeniable that having well-rested employees makes a critical difference when it comes to; productivity, safety, finances and overall business success.

How do you reduce fatigue in the workplace?

It all starts with each individual (both employees and employers) making sure they have a healthy relationship with sleep.

Not only is the quantity of sleep important, but getting sufficient Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is vital for encoding memory, especially procedural memory (the type that helps us function) along with clearing our brains of toxic proteins. The REM stage usually takes place every 90 minutes of continuous sleep and lasts longer each cycle. According to Dr. Itzhak Fried, the brain becomes very active during REM sleep, possibly even more active than when awake. When you don’t get enough sleep, it’s usually the REM stage that you don’t get enough of, as it’s the last stage in the sleep cycle.

What you can do to sleep better (According to the Sleep Health Foundation):

  • Have a regular sleeping pattern
  • Aim for 7-9hrs
  • Keep technology out of the bedroom
  • Relax for an hour before bed
  • Get comfortable
  • Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol
  • Avoid napping if possible
  • Don’t go to bed hungry or too full
  • Get some sunlight during the day
  • Limit fluids 1hr before bed
  • Seek medical attention if you regularly don’t sleep well

 

To learn more about how reducing fatigue can increase organisational effectiveness contact TMS Consulting through solutions@tmsconsulting.com.au or (07) 3003 1473

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TMS Consulting