It might seem intuitive when you have enjoyed quality sleep. If you wake up feeling refreshed and stay alert during the day, you’ve likely had a good night’s sleep. However, scientists have identified parameters that determine quality sleep. You can use them to consider how to improve your own quality of sleep, which will enhance workplace safety.
Defining quality sleep
In 2017, experts with the National Sleep Foundation published an article in the medical journal Sleep Health that provides evidence-based recommendations for determining quality of sleep. This report acknowledges that the quality of your sleep can be just as important as the quantity. Good quality of sleep is defined by the following parameters:
- Falling asleep within 30 minutes of getting into bed
- Waking up a maximum of once per night
- Being awake for a maximum of 20 minutes after initially falling asleep
- Sleeping for at least 85% of the time that one is in bed
Assessing Your Sleep
It’s easier than ever for you to assess your own sleep quality, thanks to high-tech sleep tracking devices and apps. Consider using one of these to improve your sleep habits.
Using an app or tracking device can help assess your sleep quality.
Improving your sleep
Identify your problem areas with the help of a sleep tracker, and work on improvements. If your results indicate you spend longer than 30 minutes falling asleep, you might be getting too much caffeine toward the end of the day. If you wake up frequently during the night, the problem might be alcohol consumption or sleep apnea. Consider talking to a doctor if you suspect a medical issue may be contributing to your poor sleep quality.
Spending too much time falling asleep or waking up frequently in the night can be influenced by caffeine or alcohol consumption.
Operator alertness isn’t something that can be taken for granted, especially at a high-risk job site like a surface mining operation. That’s why Hexagon has developed a premier suite of mining safety solutions, like our HxGN MineProtect Operator Alertness System (OAS) to continuously assess fatigue and send alerts as needed.