Sleep: A Key to Health and Well-Being
Sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining our health. Getting adequate sleep can make the difference between being able to focus and regulate emotions effectively. It also significantly enhances the quality of life.
Construction workers, in particular, are notorious for sacrificing sleep to meet work demands. With tight deadlines and strict budgets, sleep often seems more like a luxury than a necessity. However, without proper sleep, both our bodies and minds suffer major consequences
What Happens When We Don’t Sleep
- 24 hours without sleep: The brain begins to function as if your blood alcohol level were 0.10%, which is above the legal limit for driving.
- 36 hours without sleep: The cardiovascular system becomes strained, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- 48 hours without sleep: You may experience “microsleeps” — brief blackouts lasting 2 to 30 seconds.
- 72 hours without sleep: Hallucinations may occur, and even simple conversations can become too difficult to manage.
Why Is This Important?
As much as we’d like to think we’re stronger than our innate needs, we’re not. Many of us sacrifice sleep to meet deadlines or complete tasks, not realizing that we can still accomplish everything if we prioritize rest. When we forgo sleep, our ability to perform any task is significantly weakened.
Tips for Better Sleep
- Exercise regularly
Aim for 20–30 minutes of physical activity each day, but avoid exercising too close to bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol
Limit caffeine intake in the afternoon and avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.
- Relax before bedtime
Try activities like taking a bath, reading, or practicing relaxation techniques.
- Create a sleep-friendly environment
Keep your bedroom cool (around 67°F) and free from distractions.
- Don’t lie in bed awake
If you can’t fall asleep, get up and do something relaxing, like reading, until you feel sleepy.
By making small changes to your routine and prioritizing rest, you can improve your sleep quality and overall well-being.
Here are your June Toolbox Tools
- Check out the video toolbox talk.
- Get the talking points and additional resources here.
- Download the toolbox talk here.
- Listen to the toolbox talk here or wherever you get your podcast!
June Shop Talk:
Join us this month on June 25th at noon (PST) for our Shop Talk discussion on sleep. This month, we have a special guest, Dr. Andrew McHill. Dr. Andrew McHill is the Director of the Sleep, Chronobiology and Health Laboratory and an Assistant Professor at Oregon Health & Science University.
He received his PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder and completed his postdoctoral fellowship training at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. McHill is interested in understanding the contributing mechanisms by which the mistiming of behaviors (i.e. shift work or jet lag) and chronic insufficient sleep lead to adverse health and poor cognitive performance outcomes. Outside of working late nights in the lab, Andrew enjoys hiking the Oregon trails, watching all the PNW sports teams, and adventuring with his wife and two young sons.
Check out Dr. McHill’s lab here!
Register for this month’s Shop Talk here!
