National Sleep Awareness Week is March 2-9. Everyone knows sleep is important. From parents to teachers to doctors to therapists, we have all had the importance of rest stressed from the day we were expected to devote our time to work. Why then do so few people seem to receive adequate sleep?
As many already know, doctors recommend adults receive between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. However, the Center for Disease Control and Protection reports that 35% of adults get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep. As to be expected, lack of sleep is often the result of stress from external sources. Despite the common misconception, OSHA reports there are no official labor laws in place that require an eight hour interval between the night shift and the following morning shift for workers.
Leisure time is rarely afforded to working class people. What free time we do get is often not spent considering how to optimize our bodies and live mindfully, but it is spent partaking in small pleasures to briefly ameliorate the tedium of meaningless labor. The CDC found that workers in manufacturing, healthcare, food services and protective services are more likely to receive less than the recommended seven hours of sleep than other occupations. Work undoubtedly eats into the majority of our time spent awake. Those expected to work long or unusual hours are particularly susceptible to lack of sleep, exposing them to various health risks associated with lack of sleep.
A good night’s sleep is necessary for a healthy mind and body. In addition to taking personal measures to ensure we get the rest we need, we must work to create a culture that values our bodies’ needs before our workplaces’ time clocks. We should ask not what our sleep can do for our productivity, but rather how our workplaces drain from our sleep and overall health. Prioritizing sleep and good health can be an act of tremendous love and care for oneself and our communities.
