It can be difficult for overworked and overly stressed employees to get a good night’s rest. At first glance your employees’ sleep patterns may not seem like your concern. But when a lack of sleep affects your company’s bottom line, it is time to implement ways into your health wellness program to help your employees learn to wind down at night . The goal is to help them feel alert and productive the next day.
1) Cut out the caffeine – Coffee and soda might give your employees the afternoon jolt they need to finish out the day, but the effects of the caffeine can linger long into nighttime. Offer decaffeinated beverages in the break room, such as decaffeinated tea or bottled water, to decrease caffeine consumption.
2) Make to-do lists – Encourage employees to physically write a to-do list every night before they leave the office. This allows them to get their thoughts out at the end of the work day, preventing those pesky thoughts from lingering in their brains at night as they lie in bed.
3) End on a positive note – No one likes to go home feeling stressed. Encourage your employees to end their day with a light task which leaves them feeling lighthearted and happy. It could be something as simple as organizing their desk before leaving for the night, or clearing out their voicemail to make the next morning a little less stressful.
4) Increase exposure to daylight – High levels of melatonin in a person’s body enhances their ability to sleep. A natural method to gain more melatonin is to maximize the amount of daylight that is received. If the desks in your office are not near an open window, encourage frequent breaks outdoors, even if only a 5 minute walk in the sunshine, to enhance everyone’s ability to sleep at night.
