SLEEPLESSNESS PREVENTION
& TREATMENT

Sleeplessness’ effect on focus, concentration, and safety

If you skimp on sleep, you'll likely pay a price. Cutting back by just one hour can slow your response time and affect your focus. Lack of sleep can:

• Slow down thinking processes
  
• Interfere with focus and attention
  
• Make it easier to be confused
  
• Lead to faulty decision making and more risk taking
  
• Impair reaction time
  

When people who lack sleep are tested with a driving simulator, they perform as poorly as people who are drunk. Trying to function with a sleep deficit becomes a danger to you and those around you.

Preventing sleeplessness – some tips

As a first step, it can help to record your sleep patterns and factors that affect sleeplessness in a Sleep Diary. You can download and use this Sleep Diary for a period of up to two weeks to evaluate your sleep. To improve your night's sleep, the following tips can help make a difference:

• Set and stay with a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends
• Get exercise, but no later than five or six hours before bedtime
  
• Avoid stimulants and nicotine — effects can take up to eight hours to wear off
  
• Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed
  
• Relax before going to bed — reading or listening to music can help
  
• Don't lie in bed awake — after 20 minutes get up and do a relaxing activity
  
• Keep room temperature comfortable to prevent sleep from being disrupted
  
• Talk to your doctor about over-the-counter or prescription medicines
  
• See a doctor if your sleeping problem continues