Sleep has been argued and proven to be one of the most important factors that contribute to productivity. Doctors advise getting at least eight hours of sleep each night to maintain overall health and wellbeing.
A recent study conducted in Finland found that employees who get at least seven to eight hours of sleep are the most reliable. Published in the September 2014 issue of the medical journal, Sleep, it is entitled "Sleep and Sickness Absence: A Nationally Representative Register-Based Follow-Up Study" and was authored by 7 researchers representing different universities and medical institutions throughout Finland.
The study was participated by over 3, 760 individuals- 1, 875 women and 1, 885 men, whose sleep habits and missing work days were examined. The subjects were between 30 to 64 years old when the study began, which lasted for up to seven years.
Sickness absence was measured by looking at the following: insomnia-related symptoms, being more tired during the day than other people of the same age as them, early morning awakenings, use of sleeping pills, excessive daytime sleepiness, reporting that sleep duration varies between different seasons, and probable sleep apnea.
Results revealed that the employees' sleep habits were associated with the use of sick days. The researchers discovered that people who go for less than seven hours of sleep because of insomnia or other sleep conditions had more sick days and more likely missed work compared to those who got around seven to eight hours of sleep.
Interestingly, it was also discovered that the employees who most likely took extra sick days not only sleep for just five hours or less; many of them often sleep for ten hours or more. One of the conclusions of the study was that long and short sleepers were more likely to skip work than the "optimal sleepers"- those who sleep for an average of seven to eight hours each night.
