The promise of the American dream is what keeps many of us going to work each day as we strive to take care of our families and make them proud. However, America’s dedication to work is definitely killing our snooze with long hours, stress and plenty of technology use.
Based on a new GCC Insights study of more than 1.5 million people in 185 countries, statistics show that 1 in every 5 workers feel sleep deprived and more than 50% admit to finding their job more stressful because they are missing out on shut-eye.
Here’s how your work life is hurting your sleep according to The Huffington Post:
It starts too early: Even if your job starts and ends at a reasonable time, you still have to factor in how long it takes to get there and back. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, lengthy work commutes combined with long work hours play a huge role in why America is so sleepy.
It demands plenty of screen time: As technology continues to evolve, people are more connected than ever, causing the end of a work day to become blurry as emails rush in. One study even found that upper-level manager who used their phones after 9 pm were experiencing a decrease in both sleep quality and duration. Sadly, the same can also be said for TVs, iPads and laptops.
It keeps your mind spinning late into the night: While it can be a challenge to leave work stress behind, any type of stress can incite insomnia and diminish sleep quality. Nearly 50% reported feeling depleted in the mornings after a bad night of sleep in the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America survey.
It takes you away from important things: You are important! The more hours you spend working, the less time you have to practice healthy activities that lead to the high-quality sleep your body needs. Exercising regularly, sticking to a healthy diet and meditation have all individually been proven to boost the quality of shut-eye.
It requires an unbreakable bond with your smartphone: Staying plugged in around the clock doesn’t allow your mind to break free from the days stressors at night. You may not want to disappoint your boss, seem less dedicated or fall behind, but it’s also important to keep a healthy balance between your work and personal life.
While everyone struggles to fall asleep every now then, if you find yourself unable to fall asleep, waking up in the middle of night, waking up too early or un-rejuvenated upon waking up for an extended period of time, don’t hesitate to speak to a licensed physician or sleep specialist to get back on track.
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