Jun

22

Sleep Deprivation: How Much Does it Costs Our Nation?

June 22, 2008 |

I have noticed it.  And it seems CNN has also noticed it.  Americans are not fully awake at work: some fall asleep on it.

I have seen way too many co-workers (when I was employed) that are not in their best capacity to perform the work.  Thank god they where not operating heavy machinery, otherwise I would have seen way too many accidents at my former workplace.  I saw many people who I knew had a high level of IQ, but their mind was elsewhere.  Many people who I knew could perform well some days, but others I knew I better stayed away from them.  I wonder what good do they do to a corporation?  Wouldn’t it be better to hire double the employees at half the salary each and let them sleep four extra hours?  Just so that both, the company and the employee are happy?  (I think it is easier said than done, as there aren’t too many qualified people in the world to do the jobs that are really and absolutely needed).

Although I have not conducted any scientific study on it, I can make my own guesses as to why it could be.  In my opinion (and only my opinion) it is two main culprits:

  • TV
  • Substance Abuse (including legal Alcohol).

I do not think it is necessarily that people are overworked.  That does contributes a bit to it, and for some.  But I think the majority of people could get their 8 (or any other suitable number) of hours of sleep if they wanted. I do not think it is the demands of parenthood, as I think most parents I know in this nation send their kids to bed before 9pm (if my parents had done that I would have felt it abusive).

TV is a sleep killer for sure.  It is a relaxing activity, but you do not fall asleep.  It is so easy and mindless that you can keep past midnight watching silly things on TV and past a healthy time.  I haven’t watched TV in years.  Maybe that is why I do get enough sleep.

Then is substance abuse - in a way that it is not even established as abusive.  I think we have a generation of people who over-party.  And not necessarily meaning over-dancing (as dancing gets someone so tired they need to sleep - and they sleep soundly), but over drinking very late at night, on a work week — which doesn’t allow them to sleep efficiently.  I drink my fair amount, I just know that it takes a longer night to wear it off.

Do you think people fall asleep at work?  Or under perform due to  bad sleeping habits?  If so, why are they getting themselves into that situation?


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