Poll: Thoughts of Monday's Labor Cloud Most Workers' Sunday Sleep

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/61046/

April 20, 2008

"Does the thought of going to work on Monday affect your Sunday night's sleep?" That's the question online job finder Monster® asked its users recently on its homepage, and according to the 24,224 responses it received from across America and Europe, the answer is, for the most part, yes. Eighty-two percent of U.S. workers and 85 percent of U.K. workers said they have problems sleeping at least some of the time, but respondents noted their sleep is most frequently affected on Sundays, when thoughts of getting back to the grind the next day get in the way, with 51 percent and 53 percent of U.S. and U.K. workers, respectively, saying they are affected every week.

"A consistent lack of sleep not only impedes a worker's ability to think clearly and decisively, it can actually perpetuate additional stress on the job, which can then lead to additional sleep problems," said Norma Gaffin, Monster's director of career content. "There are simple steps workers can take to reduce the workplace stress that keeps them up at night; however, if sleep problems persist, a person may want to examine his or her work situation."

Among the tips Monster recommends to help reduce workplace stress and minimize those sleepless nights:

* Focus on what goes well each day, rather than workplace problems. As you fall asleep, force yourself to review something good about the day.

* Create a to-do list. Whether using an online resource or keeping tab of tasks in a spiral notebook, managing a to-do list can help you maximize your time and sleep better.

* Take a vacation. If it has been awhile since your last vacation, consider taking some time off to de-stress.

Monster points out that its poll was not scientific and reflected the opinions of only those Internet users who chose to participate. Only one vote per user was counted toward the final tabulation. Notably, 28 percent of workers in Italy who responded said thoughts of Monday never affect their sleep, compared to 17 percent of French workers.

[tbyg52]

1. Thank you for reminding me that I am so fortunate to love my job! nt