Sleeping on the job?

3 August 22

Poor sleep is bad for our health.

Alarmingly, 1 in 3 of us suffer from poor sleep, and there are many reasons for this, both psychological and physical.

But most of us put up with poor sleep or think that sleep is a waste of time, but it is essential to our health and wellbeing.

The truth is that sleep disorders are associated with so many chronic health problems that can’t be ignored.

We all know how moody we can feel when we have slept poorly, as our mental health is significantly impacted by sleep deprivation, and those people who have mental health problems are more likely to have insomnia and other sleep disorders.

Bad sleep causes a stress response that makes us feel agitated with poor concentration; it stimulates the appetite so that we eat more, mostly high-calorie foods, which can lead to diabetes.

Snoring and sleep apnoea, what are the facts?

Snoring heavily and stopping breathing at night, or apnoea, belong to a group of disorders called ‘sleep disordered breathing’.

Sleep apnoea occurs when people stop breathing at night due to airway obstruction, this is mostly due to obesity and made worse with smoking. You might have apnoea if you snore loudly with gasping, choking, and snorting, causing you to wake up briefly.

Sleep Apnoea affects approximately 1 in 4 overweight people; this doubles with tobacco smoking.

The sleep charity tells us that sleep apnoea reduces a life span by 20% and is the cause of 20% of fatal HGV accidents it is extremely dangerous as it reduces reaction speed and braking time.

Sleep apnoea also increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and mental illness.

Confidential surveys have shown that 25% of drivers have admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, but whether you drive a truck or a desk, if you are overweight and snoring, you share the same risk.

How can Health Drive Digital help me?

Health Drive Digital have been working closely with the Sleep Charity and RoSPA as we all share the same goals of getting Sleep-disordered breathing recognised, diagnosed, and treated. We also aim to nudge you to better life choices with a healthier diet, more activity and weight loss to reduce your risk of sleep apnoea via the Fitbit app.
We check your night oxygen levels, amongst other things, and we can get you access to an online GP who can help.
We have already helped clients to improve their sleep and reduce their risks of accidents and illness, but we need to do this together.

For more information on the importance of getting a good nights sleep go to https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/