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words by > Karen Leland

Employees can find the satisfaction in the workplace with their eyes closed

Having a bad day at work? The problem might not be your overbearing boss, cranky customer or uncooperative coworker. It may be what you did-or-didn´t do-in bed last night

A new study released by the University of Florida reveals that a lack of sleep not only contributes to our being more tired at work, but also makes us less satisfied as well. The study conducted at a large national insurance company askes employees to complete a web survey at the end of each workday, ratinf their job satisfaction, previous night´s sleep patterns and regularity of particular emotions. The result? Those who slep soundly the night before had higher rates of job satisfaction the folowing day than those who encountered sleep problems.

According to Brent Scott, who headed up the research, a lack of Zs is a critical issue for American business. “Employers should pay attention, because from a business perspective, the most significant finding of the study is that a poor night of sleep can actually impact how satisfied you are with your job,” he says. Scott feels that by not addressing employees’ sleep problems, businesses run the risk of higher turnover and poor performance.

Th is study adds to the already growing concern that our Starbucks nation is a tired bunch. One poll by the National Sleep Foundation concluded that 40% of Americans are sleeping fewer than seven hours a night during the workweek.

In addition, 75% of those surveyed reported problems sleeping a few nights a week, oft en resulting in missed workdays and errors on the job, among other things.

Wally Bock, an executive coach and author of the book Performance Talk: Th e One-on-One Part of Leadership, says he sees the impact of insufficient sleep on his clients daily. “People kid themselves about how much sleep they get and how much they need,” he says. “If I have a businessperson who is experiencing a huge mid-aft ernoon dip, one of the first things I ask them is, ‘How much sleep are you getting?’” Bock says his clients oft en unintentionally overestimate the amount of sleep they receive, declaring seven or eight hours a night. But when he calls their spouses to check, or has them keep a sleep log, it’s oft en closer to six hours. “It’s not that my clients are trying to be deceptive. It’s that they are in denial,” he says.

Stephen Viscusi, CEO of Th e Viscusi Group, one of the top headhunting firms in New York, agrees. He says he sees the eff ects of lost sleep in how people perform in job interviews. “Sometimes a client will tell me he was distracted in an interview,” says Viscusi. “When I probe further I find out the client was tired from lack of sleep the night before.” Viscusi believes that many businesspeople don’t realize the impact that not getting a good night’s sleep has on how they look, feel and function on the job.

So what can a company do to ensure that they have a well-rested workforce? “Undoubtedly, one of the reasons Americans are getting less sleep is the growth in dual-career couples,” says Scott, who asserts that the stress of managing two careers, raising kids and doing household chores is cutting into sleep time. He suggests that companies can help solve the problem by giving employees more flexible work schedules, providing on-site childcare and off ering wellness programs that focus on how to reduce insomnia. As for individuals, many of the tried and true sleep solutions off ered by such organizations as the National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org) seem to be just what the doctor ordered for a good night’s rest.

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR SLEEP

Here are five ways you can stack the deck in favor of sleep and wake up to a happier work life:

1. Create a sleep schedule. Decide on a designated time for going to bed and getting up. This established pattern of sleeping and waking helps your body set its sleep clock on automatic.

2. Turn off all the lights. The darker your room is, the better. Skip the nightlight.

3. Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon. Drinking caffeinated coffee, tea or soft drinks late in the day can cause a delay in getting to sleep.

4. Engage in a sleep ritual. Plan a few pre-bedtime activities, such as soaking in a warm tub or some light reading, to help prepare your mind and body for rest.

5. Watch what you eat late at night. Skip the sugar and try foods that are high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as low-fat dairy products, bananas and hummus.

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