Sleep Hygiene
"Firefighters are more susceptible to sleep disorders, their inherent dangers, and health implications." - Firefighter Research
It is not news to any firefighter or first responder that sleep can be a challenge – what is news is how big the issue of sleep deprivation can be and the negative impact it can have on your health.
Interrupted sleep, not getting enough sleep, or sleeping at irregular times can have severe implications for health by interrupting circadian rhythms. These rhythms are the physical, mental and behavioral changes that occur over a 24-hour period and regulate the body’s processes through the release of melatonin. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, interruption of these rhythms leads to short term impacts like difficulty with concentration, headaches, mood changes and irritability. In the long term, interruption of these chemical processes can increase risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Shift workers face particular challenges related to sleep. When workers start shift work, it is not uncommon for them to have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep and they often find themselves tired even after 7-8 hours of sleep. If this trend continues for several weeks, it can be considered Shift Work Disorder. The disorder is the result of a workers’ circadian rhythm being interrupted and melatonin being produced at the wrong time by the body. Work-related impacts of shift work include higher rates of injury, accidents, mistakes and missed work days. Scientists from Harvard conducted a study of 66 fire departments across the country. Their findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, state that more than a third of firefighters responding to their survey screened positive for a sleep disorder.
Firefighters who screened positive for a sleep disorder were 200% more likely to report having a motor vehicle crash than those firefighters who did not screen positive. They also were 241% more likely to report having cardiovascular disease and 191% more likely to report diabetes. They were 310% more likely to report symptoms of depression and 381% more likely to report anxiety. ADHERE TO SLEEP HYGIENE HABITS WHEN POSSIBLE
Someone has to respond in the middle of the night, so firefighters will always face the challenge of sleep, which is why it is important to do as much as possible to combat the impact. - Sara Jahnke, Ph.D. Firefighter Research |
Look over this list of common signs of a sleep disorder. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of these signs on three or more nights a week:
Also keep in mind that the symptoms of a sleep problem in children can be complicated. Some children may show signs of excessive daytime sleepiness, while others may not do their best in school. Discuss such symptoms with a physician. The need for sleep may be nine hours or more a night as a person goes through adolescence. At the same time, there is a natural biological tendency for young adults to show a preference for a later bedtime and a later wake time in the morning. This natural tendency to start sleeping later can conflict with daytime schedules, leading to insufficient sleep. "We think that as many as 70 percent of adolescents are not obtaining enough sleep, according to survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," says Dr. Twery. |