Employee Wellness – Focus on Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

There are few thing that can impact mood, health, and job performance in quite the same way that sleep does. Even one or two hours of lost sleep can diminish effectiveness in the office. That is why so many employee wellness programs in Canada devote some degree of time, attention, and effort to helping employees get a good night's sleep. So how can executive health programs help your employees sleep better at night?

Encourage Annual Health Checkups

Because employees don't have to worry about the annual health check up cost when there are participating in an outstanding executive health program they have no reason to skip these all-important health checkups where doctors can learn about a variety of potential problems including cases of chronic fatigue, insomnia, or an overall lack of quality sleep.

There are so many possibilities that could cause the sleep problems from a bad mattress to poor sleep habits to a smorgasbord of health conditions, including sleep apnea, abnormal thyroid functioning, Epstein-Barr virus, depression, low iron, anemia, and countless other health conditions. Discussing your health with your physician can help employees get to the root of the problem so they can improve sleep and regain their normal productivity.

Educate Employees about Negative Impact Insomnia has on Health

Poor sleep not only effect work performance, but long term sleep deficiencies can affect out relationships too. Some of the primary impacts sleep deprivation has one employees include:

• Decreased Productivity
• Memory Impairments
• Diminished Cognitive Brain Functions
• Exaggerated Moods and Emotions
• Delayed Reaction Times
• Deteriorating Motor Skills
• Increased Risk of Accidents and Injuries
• Poor Decision Making Skills

The more employees understand about how sleep affects their personal and professional lives, the more receptive they will be to activities and actions that will improve the quantity and quality of their sleep.

Explain the Possibility of Sleep Apnea

One of the most difficult of conditions to diagnose is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The people who are experiencing sleep apnea often have no idea they have the condition – unless they have bed partners who are constantly complaining about loud snoring and episodes of not breathing at all – followed by catching breath. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include chronic fatigue, waking with a headache, extreme tiredness after lunch, falling asleep while watching television (inability to stay awake), and elevated blood pressure. Sleep apnea, while providing an extreme disruption to restful sleep, also increases the risks for other health problems, such as stroke, heart disease, and cardiac arrhythmias (which can lead to death).

Treating sleep apnea can help your employees get the restful sleep they need so they can be productive forces in the workplace. This helps your business, your bottom line, and your employees.

Business owners face many challenges when arranging for an executive health program that meets the needs of all employees. Without addressing issues, like the health benefits of a good night's sleep – every night – you're missing out on one of the key components of employee wellness.