Sick leave due to lack of sleep more and more often

Sick days due to colds and lack of sleep more and more often.

(22.09.2010) The number of colds and the injuries and sick days caused by lack of sleep are increasing. These assumptions are suggested by the current health report of the DAK for Thuringia, whereby the experts recognize a serious problem especially in the underestimation of the health risk caused by sleep deprivation.

Patients in Nordhausen and the Kyffhäuserkreis are disproportionately treated for colds in Thuringia, but the sick leave is generally below the national average. Overall, the number of sick leave in Thuringia rose to 4.2 percent in 2009, whereas in Nordhausen and in the Kyffhäuser district the number of sick leave even increased 0.1 percentage points decreased. Nationwide, the average is currently around 3.4 percent. The lowest value in Thuringia reached Eichsfeld with 3.8 percent, the highest sickness rate was 4.6 percent each in Gera, Eisenach and the Wartburg district.

The number of respiratory diseases such as severe colds or bronchitis has increased in Thuringia since the last health report by about 22 percent, infections have even increased by almost 42 percent, the latter overall, however, occurred relatively rarely. By contrast, the number of injuries and intoxications decreased by almost 23 percent, and musculoskeletal illnesses such as back pain by 19 percent.

„The amount of sick leave (...) shows the need for action“, Dietmar Barke from the DAK explained the results of the health report. „For example, those who eat, relax and move properly take an important step towards a healthier life“, so the expert and „Employers can also do a lot to keep sick leave in their company as low as possible“, Bark continued. As part of the health report, the DAK also recognized a significant problem with the insured's lack of sleep and thus started a special information and education campaign on sleep disorders.

„In Thuringia, more than 450,000 workers are tormented almost daily by their daily work routine. Not only are people doing less. They also cause more accidents and endanger their health“, bark explains the problem of lack of sleep. Therefore, sleep problems should be medically examined as soon as they last more than one month, at least three times a week or interfere with the job. About ten percent of the workforce are burdened in the opinion of the expert of such high-grade sleep problems, whereby by no means all sufferers can be treated for medical treatment or sick leave.

According to the DAK health report in Thuringia, almost every second employed person can fall asleep badly or not sleep through. The sick leave resulting from this increased by more than 30 percent in Thuringia between 2005 and 2009. Where the causes of sleep problems can be very different. Most commonly, however, stress and mental stress are the cause of sleep disorders (about 40 percent of cases). At the same time, stress at work or worries about the workplace are more and more often triggers of sleep-inducing stress. According to the DAK, around a quarter of those affected are concerned with their fears and worries at night instead of sleeping. In addition, pain and noise are named as a relatively common cause of sleep disorders. Barkes Conclusion: „In our 24-hour society with time pressure, compulsion to flexibility in the job and the requirements of the family, many do not come to rest at night.“

For example, as chronically poor sleep and fatigue significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety disorders, the population should no longer underestimate the risk of chronic sleep disorders, the DAK expert points out. Far too often self-medication would buy over-the-counter sleeping pills and shun the doctor's visit.

„Healthy sleep is not only the key to top performance in the workplace, but also for a happier family life“ explains Bark and at the same time recommends not to take sleep medication for too long a period, but instead to get to the bottom of the causes of sleep disorders. Thus, the biorhythm can be set by fixed sleep and recovery times to certain periods of rest and relaxation exercises such as autogenic training offer patients an additional way to deal with their sleep disorders. (Fp)

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Image: Konstantin Gastmann.