Sleep Hygiene

Sleep can be one of the first things we compromise when we are stressed or crunched for time. Even though we know we need it, most people do not get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep during a 24-hour cycle. Inadequate sleep occurs when you get less than the recommended amount. Sleep hygiene refers to building a routine around sleep, setting up a sleep schedule and environment, especially when your job duties may not allow for a full 7-9 hours at a time.

Sleep is a necessary function as vital to survival and operational preparedness as food and exercise. Sleep impacts the function of nearly every system in your body. Temporary lack of sleep can lead to short-term issues including difficulty with memory, judgment and coordination; decreased physical performance; and decreased testosterone production. Lack of good sleep can also reduce reaction times, create drowsiness during the day, lead to poor decision making and weaken your immune system, which makes you more prone to illness. Long-term sleep disorders can contribute to serious health conditions.

Sleep is critical for operational readiness, but sometimes Warfighters don’t get the recommended hours of sleep they need. Staying up late, dealing with an illness and poor sleep conditions are just some of the factors that may impact your sleep. There are many additional factors Warfighters face. Trainings, deployments, permanent change of station (PCS), shift work, environmental factors and increased stress can also impact sleep quantity and quality.

• 64^%report less than 7 hours of sleep per 24-hour period
• 56^%report less sleep than needed to perform their duties well
• 50^%report poor sleep quality

Not getting enough sleep can impact many aspects of your operational readiness including decision-making, mood, concentration and reaction time. All of these are crucial for military service. It is critical to make sleep a top priority regardless of the mission.