Sleep disorders due to stress at work

Many suffer from sleep disorders as a result of stress at work

04/28/2014

The stress of working life accompanies many people until the evening hours. Often, sleep disorders are the result, which in turn can lead to significant impairment of performance and increased health problems. In a recent review of the „Mirror online“ Sleep researchers and psychologists give tips for avoiding sleep disorders and for a restful sleep.

According to the experts, the modern working conditions have significantly contributed to many people still dealing with the professional problems even after hours. „The constant accessibility and sensory overload intensify the stress-related sleep disorders“, explained the psychologist Felicitas von Elverfeldt from Frankfurt am Main „Mirror online“. Often lacking a counterpart to the work here, which helps the employees emotionally to distance themselves from their work, the expert continues. In particular „sensitive people“ would therefore be burdened until late in the evening by their profession, with women tended to be more at risk than men.

Sudden onset of sleep under stress
In the article of the „Mirror online“ reports a sufferer of sudden onset of sleep after she had always been able to sleep well before. She used to fall asleep as soon as she went to bed. But a short time after she started her own business, it was over. In the evening the woman lay awake for hours and could not fall asleep. She closed her eyes, woke her a short time later and could not sleep. „That was a terrible time. I was soon afraid to go to sleep“, cited „Mirror online“ the woman. In the end, she was flabbergasted and barely able to concentrate on her business.

A quarter of the population with sleep disorders
Increasing (occupational) burdens in everyday life are causing a relatively large number of people to sleep disorders, which initially express themselves mostly in the form of sleep problems. The victims are lying in bed for hours in the evening and can not stop thinking about the problems and upcoming tasks. According to the statements of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) complain in Germany „25 percent of the population has sleep problems“ and „another eleven percent experience their sleep as frequently or permanently not restful.“ This not only has immediate consequences for those affected, but often causes „also high social costs, for example by accidents, performance limitation, sick leave and early retirement.“ The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) has in its factsheet „Work without ceasing? - A plea for the break“ also pointed to the direct connection between the work stress and the sleep problems. If the absence of breaks is used as an indicator of the work stress, the BAuA survey of employ- ees shows a clear correlation with the sleep disturbances. „Of those who take breaks, 38 percent state sleep problems. If the break is not enough, it's only 23 percent“, reports the BAuA.

Concentration to switch off?
„Restful sleep is the basic requirement for health, performance and well-being“, explained Jürgen Zulley, sleep researcher and emeritus professor of biological psychology at the University of Regensburg „Mirror online“. At first, it does not matter if someone needs five, seven or nine hours of sleep to get up and recover. It is important, according to the expert, that we come to rest between the burdens. The greater the load, the more urgently these periods of rest are needed. However, many people have significant difficulty switching off under increasing pressure. „The thoughts that we experience as problematic keep pushing forward“, explained Zulley. The victims would have to „focus on something to settle down“, Although this may sound paradoxical, the expert continues. Tendency opposing activities to everyday working life are recommended here. „Anyone who is above all mentally challenged in their job, will be able to distance themselves better with movement and recover than in front of the TV“, Zulley explained.

Meditative activities before bedtime
The sleep researcher also advises on meditative activities such as listening to quiet music or focusing on your own breathing immediately before going to bed. Here's the memory „The monotonous stimulation leaves no time to hang around the problematic thoughts and relaxes“, added BAuA spokesman Martin Schulte. According to the experts, smartphones and computers should no longer be used in the evenings, also to avoid a memory of the professional problems. In addition, Zulley does not recommend talking about conflicts in the family after 8 pm.

Get up and cook tea
If the problems of falling asleep can be overcome, many people still have trouble sleeping through. They wake up regularly at night and can not fall asleep afterwards. In general, waking up at night, according to sleep researcher Zulley, is not uncommon. „This happens to each of us, but most of the short waking phases are immediately forgotten“, explained the expert. Anyone who wakes up and immediately begins to ponder, should try to write down the thought and then continue to sleep, advises Zulley. „Then I do not have to think about it anymore“, the sleep researcher continues. If those affected feel so agitated and uneasy that they are wide awake, it can also help them get up and do solving tasks such as tea-making, crossword puzzles, or take a short walk around the flat.

Sleeping pills are not an option in the long term
According to the experts, sleeping pills are only to be considered as a last option against sleep disorders and should only be used to a limited extent in terms of time. In particular, herbal sleeping pills have the advantage that they are rarely associated with side effects, but they must not be a habit according to the sleep researcher Jürgen Zulley. The „pharmacy magazine“ had reported at the beginning of the month that about 1.2 million Germans are dependent on sleep and sedatives. Dr. Rüdiger Holzbach, head of the addiction medicine department of the LWL clinics Lippstadt and Warstein, told the health magazine that the drugs gradually lose their effect with regular use or it could even come to a reversal of activity. „Symptoms such as anxiety and inner restlessness, against which they are supposed to help, are intensified“, warned Holzbach. (Fp)