This week is National Sleep Awareness Week™. Each year, The National Sleep Foundation supports this public education and awareness campaign to promote the importance of sleep. The week begins with the announcement of the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America poll results and ends with the clock change to Daylight Saving Time, where Americans lose one hour of sleep. In addition, the Foundation’s Sleep Care Center members host events in their local communities throughout the week, providing sleep education and screening to the public.
So, let’s get started with a few of the poll results:
1) About one-fourth of train operators (26%) and pilots (23%) admit that sleepiness has affected their job performance at least once a week, compared to about one in six non-transportation workers (17%). Do I have your attention yet? A significant number say that sleepiness has caused safety problems on the job. One in five pilots (20%) admit that they have made a serious error and one in six train operators (18%) and truck drivers (14%) say that they have had a “near miss” due to sleepiness. At least once a week?! Yikes.
2) Almost two-thirds of train operators (57%) and one-half of pilots (50%) say they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on work nights, compared to 44% of truck drivers and 42% of non-transportation workers. Bus, taxi, and limo drivers report the best work day sleep satisfaction, with about one-third (29%) saying they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on work nights. How are ya feeling about your next flight or trip now?
3) Many transportation workers cite their schedule as a major contributor to sleep problems. Almost one-half of train operators (44%) and more than one-third of pilots (37%) report that their current work schedule does not allow adequate time for sleep, compared to about one-fourth of non-transportation workers and truck drivers (27% each) and one-fifth of bus, taxi and limo drivers (20%).
4) Roughly one in ten Americans say they are likely to fall asleep at an inappropriate time and place, such as during a meeting or while driving. This study finds that 11% of pilots, train operators, bus, taxi, and limo drivers and 8% of truck drivers as well as 7% of non-transportation workers are “sleepy.” Do you want to know how sleepy you are? Click here to take a short quiz.
If these findings alarm you, they should. As a society, we trust that transportation operators (and each other) are well-trained and adequately rested to perform their duties safely. If personal, scheduling, or other factors interfere with the ability of pilots, operators, and driviers to conduct a vehicle safely, it puts us all at risk. Keep this is mind the next time you have an opportunity to voice an opinion on worker schedules or when you are planning your own schedule. Getting enough quality sleep is one of the simplest things we can do to increase our performance and safety.
Be safe, rest well.