Sleep
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is one of the most important things humans can do to maintain their mental and physical health. Unfortunately, this isn’t always easy for first responders. Especially those working 12 and 24-hour shifts. If you work 12-hour shifts and have an hour commute each way, that leaves only 2-3 hours in the day for everything else if you plan on getting the minimum 7 hours of sleep recommended for adults.
We frequently prioritize other things over sleep. We assume we will be able to nap at work or that we can power through using caffeine, nicotine, or other stimulants. It can be difficult to maintain a work-life balance. However, it is important to understand the detrimental effects sleep deprivation and sleep debt has on your body and mind.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Research has shown that even being a couple of hours short on sleep can have negative effects. It intensifies our anger response to frustrating situations and mild stressors (ever wonder why you find yourself yelling at co-workers or your kids after a few days at work?). Lack of sleep can also intensify existing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Sleep deprivation and sleep debt are also tied to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This is something many first responders are already at an increased risk for due to diet and occupational exposures. Lack of sleep often has a feedback loop effect on these issues. The more tired we are the more stimulants we take, the less we care about what we eat, and the more time we spend trying to unwind from our days.
Being sleep deprived is not both dangerous to your own mental and physical wellness and to the safety of others. It can make you a danger to your patients, co-workers, and people around you. Studies have found that people who have gone 18 hours without sleep show the same level of impairment as if they have a blood-alcohol level of 0.05%. At 24 hours without sleep, their impairment is the same as if they have a BAC of 0.10%. This is over the legal limit in all of the USA and Canada.
How to Improve Sleep
Fortunately, there are a number of things we can do to help manage our schedules and improve our sleep on workdays, including:
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When doing shiftwork, plan ahead to reduce the need to run errands on workdays.
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If available, use delivery for things like groceries and prescriptions.
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Consider using subscription plans for pet food, baby supplies, and other household items.
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Coordinate with trusted friends and coworkers for child transportation.
It is also critical to practice good sleep hygiene – which is optimizing your schedule and environment for better sleep. This can be done by:
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Limiting stimulants during the second half of your day.
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Maintain a sleep schedule as consistent as possible, including waking within an hour of the same time every day.
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Establish a bedtime routine and stick with it every day. This trains your brain to recognize it is time to sleep.
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Limiting the use of screens/electronics for 30 minutes before sleep.
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If you must use a screen, use a blue-light filter or enable “night mode” on your devices. Blue light is the main colour that tells your brain to be awake.
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Enable “do not disturb” mode on your devices to limit notifications during sleep hours.
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Use things like black-out curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine to reduce distractions.
Final Thoughts
If you have implemented good sleep hygiene and you are still having trouble sleeping or experiencing excessive fatigue, consider consulting your primary care provider. There are multiple medical conditions that can negatively influence sleep. No amount of white noise will overcome an issue like sleep apnea.