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Insomnia: Effect on Workplace Productivity

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

Insomnia: Effect on Workplace Productivity

By Madison Gesualdo

It’s barely 1 P.M. during the work day and you’re already dozing off at your desk, wondering how on Earth you’ll stay awake for the next few hours. To any observer, you might appear as yet another lazy employee “sleeping on the job.” However, no one knows about the preceding circumstances leading up to your lapse in energy, and no one except you knows about the tossing and turning you experienced the night before that, ultimately, led to yet another sleepless night.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which an individual has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. The disorder becomes chronic when these habits persist, becoming a regular pattern in the individual’s daily life. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, roughly 12% of adults in the United States self-reported being diagnosed with chronic insomnia. This statistic does not account for any currently undiagnosed cases of chronic insomnia in the United States, or for diagnosed cases that survey participants chose not to self-report. While one might speculate that a sleepless night resulting from insomnia may just cause general drowsiness and prompt a few yawns the following day, the effects of insomnia, specifically on workplace productivity, far exceed this assumption.

Insomnia can cause a severe deficit in workplace productivity, with sleep deprivation yielding a significant decline in job performance. Individuals who suffer from chronic insomnia report experiencing impaired thinking, emotional emptiness, and slowed physical reactions during their workday, as well as extreme fatigue that causes delays and errors in work assignments and tasks.

A wide range of resources are available to treat insomnia. Some of these include:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Can help reduce anxiety about not being able to sleep
  • Relaxation/meditation therapy: Can help train you to relax your body and fall asleep more easily
  • Stimulus control therapy: Can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle and eliminate potential distractions encountered when falling asleep
  • Medication: Prescription medications, such as benzodiazepines, can help sedate the central nervous system and relax the body, making it easier to fall asleep

If you or someone you know is struggling with insomnia or trouble sleeping, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

References:

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (n.d.) Survey shows 12% of Americans have been diagnosed with insomnia. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. https://aasm.org/survey-shows-12-of-americans-have-been-diagnosed-with-chronic-insomnia/#:~:text=Survey%20shows%2012%25%20of%20Americans%20have%20been%20diagnosed%20with%20chronic%20insomnia

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.) Insomnia: Treatment. National Institute of Health. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/insomnia/treatment

Newsom, R. & Wright, H. (2023, November 3). The link between sleep and job performance. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/good-sleep-and-job-performance

Insomnia: What factors cause it?

GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    By: Elyse Ganss

    Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes an inability to sleep in regular increments. Insomnia can be caused by many issues including medical conditions, biological factors, and psychiatric conditions. Medical causes of insomnia include nasal/allergies, endocrine problems, asthma, neurological conditions, chronic pain, or gastrointestinal problems.

    Insomnia can frequently co-occur with mental health disorders. Some psychiatric problems that may impact sleep include depression and anxiety. Depression includes symptoms of hopelessness, sadness, and a lack of energy. Severe depression is correlated with a higher risk for insomnia. Anxiety symptoms include stressful thoughts, general anxiousness, panic, or dread. Anxiety can make it so falling asleep feels impossible as you are consumed by thoughts/fears.

    Lifestyle choices like naps, irregular sleeping patterns, and working on a laptop or phone close to when you are going to sleep can cause insomnia as well. Even certain foods and drinks can have a negative impact on your sleep. For example, drinks that have caffeine and are consumed up to 8 hours before going to sleep may cause insomnia.

    Seeking therapy for insomnia may be helpful in decreasing symptoms. Typically, therapy will teach the patient how to replace negative thoughts as well as problem solving techniques in order to alleviate sleeping issues. Similarly, certain medications can be prescribed to help restore regular sleeping patterns if the insomnia is severe and has a long-term pattern.

    If you or someone you know needs support for insomnia, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/ .

    Sources:

    What Causes Insomnia?

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167

    Image Source:

    https://news.uthscsa.edu/wp-content/uploads

    Insomnia

    GalleryJudy Gurfein Leave a comment

    insomnia.jpgInsomnia

    Sonya Cheema

    A typical adult gets between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night, but it varies from person to person. Those who struggle to get this amount of sleep may suffer from the sleep disorder, insomnia. Some people may experience acute insomnia, which lasts for a few days or weeks. Others may suffer from chronic insomnia, which can last a month or more. If you suspect you or a loved one has insomnia, look for these symptoms:

    • Difficulty falling asleep at night
    • Waking up during the night
    • Waking up too early
    • Not feeling rested after a night’s sleep
    • Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
    • Irritability, depression, or anxiety
    • Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks, or remembering
    • Increased errors or accidents
    • Ongoing worries about sleep

    If you or a loved one experience many of these symptoms, it may be wise to seek professional help. If serious enough, insomnia can drastically affect your everyday life. In the meantime, some tips that may help alleviate your insomnia are:

    • Keeping your bed time and wake time consistent day to day
    • Avoid or limit naps
    • Avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
    • Use your bed only for sleep and sex
    • Create a relaxing night time ritual, such as taking a bath, reading, listening to music, etc.

    If you or a person you know is struggling with insomnia, it may be beneficial to contact a mental health professional and receive therapy. The psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists at Arista Counseling and Psychiatric Services can help. Contact the Bergen County, NJ or Manhattan offices at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920. Visit http://www.acenterfortherapy.com for more information.

     

    Source used:

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167