Five eye-opening ways sleep impacts your employees

Everyone has a bad night of sleep once in a while. But did you know that over a third of US adults say they don’t get enough sleep most nights? Poor sleep is associated with decreased physical and mental health, but it also raises the risk of on-the-job accidents and can even lead to low job satisfaction. Fatigue, which can be a result of poor sleep, is estimated to cost businesses more than $136 billion annually in lost productivity. Here are some of the ways poor sleep may be affecting your employees and how you can help.

1. People are more susceptible to the common cold and other viruses

People struggling with poor sleep are more likely to get sick and don’t respond as well to immunizations. In one study, researchers found that people who get less than six hours of sleep per night were four times more likely to get a cold than people who were exposed to the same virus but slept more than seven hours. to get a cold than people who were exposed to the same virus, but slept more than seven hours.

Importantly, a lack of sleep may compromise the effectiveness of certain vaccines. A study from 2020 showed that people who got less sleep had a weaker antibody response to the flu vaccine. Another study involving a Hepatitis B vaccine series showed something similar; and for each additional hour of sleep, there was a 56% increase in antibody response.

2. Employees’ mental health suffers

Research shows strong associations between poor sleep and mental health conditions that can make life harder for your employees. When people struggle with poor sleep, they’re more likely to develop feelings of worry and anxiety. If not addressed, this can lead to difficulties focusing at work, enjoying free time, and taking care of families.

Poor sleep has also been linked to mood. A study from 2011 found that people experiencing poor sleep had double the risk of developing depression compared to people with healthy sleep habits. Unhealthy sleep may also be its own source of anxiety, creating a harmful cycle. People may worry excessively about sleep, and those worries can actually cause sleep problems.

3. Productivity goes down, and costly accidents go up

Most of us have had one of those days at work. You’ve been sleeping terribly all week, and now you can barely keep your eyes open. You’re trying to focus, but all you can really think about is going home and taking a nap. Or maybe having a fourth cup of coffee. These days are never fun — nor are they productive or even particularly safe.

Scientists have found that poor sleep impairs decision-making, causes slower reaction times, and negatively impacts concentration. These associations might explain why poor sleep is associated with over 7% of workplace accidents, accounting for nearly a quarter of all workplace accident costs. And when it comes to productivity, fatigue, which can be a result of poor sleep, is estimated to cost businesses more than $136 billion annually in lost productivity.

4. People are at high risk for developing chronic disease

Getting enough sleep can protect against developing chronic conditions that put long-term health at risk. Research shows that people who get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night are at reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Conversely, shorter sleep duration and sleep disturbance are both linked to high blood pressure, which can also increase the risk of heart disease.

Poor sleep is also associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes, and studies show that people who aren’t able to fall asleep quickly at night have reduced levels of physical activity the following day. Not getting enough sleep has also been identified as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

5. Job satisfaction and career growth go down

While a night without sleep is no walk in the park, one side effect may be surprising: Sleep-deprived people show lower levels of job satisfaction. One study asked 45 people with poor sleep to write down over 500 observations about their jobs over the course of three weeks. The researchers found that poor sleep was negatively related to job satisfaction, meaning that when sleep disturbance went up, job satisfaction went down.

Another study found that people struggling with poor sleep and other mental health conditions, such as feelings of worry and anxiety, reported lower levels of job satisfaction as well. Career progression has also been shown to be at risk when employees are suffering from sleep disturbance, and burnout is also more likely when poor sleep is an issue.

Better sleep leads to better lives, both at and outside of work

When employees have good sleep health, they’re able to stay healthier — both physically and mentally — avoid accidents, and have stronger, more enjoyable careers. While taking care of people is job number one for HR and benefits leaders, the clear bonus is that it’s also good for business.

Help your employees get quality sleep with Sleepio, our digital treatment for insomnia, and see the real-world impact on health outcomes and bottom-line costs in your organization. Take a look at the results from one of our clients.

Request a demo for Sleepio today.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Sleepio is temporarily being made available as a treatment for insomnia disorder without a prescription. Sleepio has not been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of insomnia disorder.

DOC-3428 Effective 11/2023