The Connection Between Sleep Deprivation and Workplace Injuries

People often underestimate just how important sleep is for our health. You know that you feel better after a good night of sleep, but did you know that even one poor night of sleep can have a negative impact on your performance at work? There is a strong link between sleep deprivation and workplace accidents, and this connection is causing thousands of preventable injuries every single year.

If you’ve been injured at work and you’re struggling to get the compensation you’re owed, we’re here to help. Call Thiry & Caddell at 251-336-3627 to set up a consultation now.

Sleep Deprivation is a National Problem

People are more tired than they’ve ever been. Work demands, an ever-increasing cost of living, the demands of a family, and constant screens all take their toll on our sleep. While it’s recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night, a significant amount of Americans regularly sleep less than that. Some estimates indicate that 25% of Americans suffer from insufficient sleep. This has a profound impact on your physical and mental health.

Lack of Sleep Can Affect Your Work Performance

Insufficient sleep or low-quality sleep can affect your work in multiple ways:

• Reaction time: A lack of sleep can significantly increase your reaction time. This can make a big difference at work, especially in industries that are already dangerous. Imagine working in a warehouse when you see a stack of boxes about to topple on you from 30 feet up—sleep deprivation could mean the difference between dodging those boxes and suffering a major crush injury.
• Decision-making: Sleep deprivation also affects your judgment and your ability to make good decisions. Let’s say you’re able to assess and react to things quickly—that’s great, but what if your judgment is clouded and leads you to make the wrong decision? There’s no shortage of people who’ve been injured because they made the wrong call at a critical moment.
• Ability to pay attention: Another dangerous way poor sleep affects you at work is what it does to your concentration. After a night of bad sleep, you’ll likely find it harder than usual to concentrate on a task, focus on your work, or avoid distractions. This can be incredibly dangerous in many different settings.

Injuries Are More Likely When Employees Are Sleep-Deprived

It’s obvious that sleep deprivation causes preventable workplace injuries. In fact, some sources estimate that poor sleep has cost American companies $31 billion in workplace accidents and mistakes. Just one tired worker is enough to increase the risk of a serious accident at work. When you consider the fact that 25% of Americans are walking around with some level of sleep deprivation, you’ll realize that you’re likely working alongside other people with chronic sleep issues. Each exhausted worker drives up the likelihood of a serious accident.

Accidents are more likely in some industries than others. For example, anything involving transportation is far more dangerous than work that doesn’t put employees in charge of machinery. Workplace car accidents can often be attributed to fatigue, as can injuries caused by the unsafe use of machinery or improper use of safety gear.

Who’s At Risk?

Although sleep-related injuries can happen to anyone, certain employees are at greater risk. People who work shifts that go against their body’s natural circadian rhythm are at heightened risk of fatigue and subsequent injuries. This includes second-shift workers, third-shift workers, and those who work rotating shifts.

Those who suffer chronic sleep deprivation are also at a greater risk of injuries. Being deprived of even one hour of sleep can cause an accident, but someone who is chronically exhausted will feel the effects of sleep deprivation more and more as time goes on.

Even those who aren’t sleep deprived may be in danger. Imagine this: you’re well-rested, working your manufacturing job. Your shift’s forklift driver is running on three hours of sleep due to having a small baby. They drift off while driving—just for a few seconds, but long enough to plow into a stack of merchandise that topples over onto you.

Start Your Work Injury Claim with Thiry & Caddell

If you’re having a hard time getting the workers’ compensation you deserve after a workplace injury, don’t wait any longer to talk to our team. Call us at 251-336-3627 or send us a message online to set up a consultation right now.