Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the global population. Therefore, it is a problem that many people suffer or have suffered throughout their lives.
We can define this pathology as the abnormal lack of sleep or the difficulty when it comes to conciliating it when it is time to sleep. This lack of sleep negatively affects the day-to-day of the people who suffer it, causing problems both in the personal, family and work areas.
In fact, it is estimated that we spend a third of our lives sleeping. In fact, the hours of sleep serve to regenerate the energy of our body and recover from the effort we make during the day. In addition, sleeping correctly also contributes to the improvement of the immune system, memory and our physical and mental state. Therefore, we are talking about a vital need, the lack of which can generate serious problems.
The negative effects of insomnia
Before talking about what the consequences of insomnia are, it is necessary to distinguish two types. On the one hand, we find insomnia at the beginning. It consists of the impossibility of getting to sleep in less than 30 minutes once we stretch in bed. On the other, the maintenance one, which focuses on those long-lasting and prolonged nocturnal awakenings, achieving zero sleep time.
Among the causes of insomnia, we can find illnesses, hormonal problems or psychiatric diseases such as anxiety or depression which is the main causes of damage any kinds of work like business work. Likewise, we also find external factors that can also cause it: the environment where we sleep, work hours, food, frequent trips … Whatever the origin of the cause, the consequences are usually always similar.
Sleep is the period in which everything that has been damaged or worn is repaired and replaced, and allows us to store the concepts learned during the day. Therefore, reducing the dream is reducing benefits for ourselves, relationships with others, and in this case, with our company and work environment.
Repercussions at the labor level
The prevention and intervention of sleep problems from the Prevention of Occupational Risks acquires noticeable importance, since they are part of the risks that can occur in the work environment.
Lack of sleep, for whatever reason, generates a series of repercussions both for the worker himself and for the company.
Repercussions at the individual level:
Physical and mental tiredness
Irritability
Decreased attention and concentration
Difficulty in coordination and precision tasks
Slowness of thought
Drowsiness
Predisposition to the development of anxiety or depressive disorders
Repercussions at the organizational level:
Increased risk of occupational accidents
Decreased efficiency and productivity (worker performance)
Decrease in the degree of training
Conflict in the work environment, affectation of interpersonal relationships with co-workers or clients / patients
The main effects of insomnia are usually reflected in a depressed state of the person who suffers from it. Levels of anxiety and fatigue are also often higher and have a negative impact on the workplace. Poor performance, inattention, and poor results on tasks are often the main effects in this field. However, the consequences go much further and can end up creating serious problems with possible consequences.
You’ve followed the usual tips for getting a good night’s sleep: keep a regular sleep schedule, avoid caffeine, nap during the day, exercise regularly, avoid looking at bright screens before bed, and manage stress. Still, you haven’t been able to sleep well at night in weeks. Time to get an over-the-counter sleeping pill? If you are considering taking sleep medication, this is what you need to know.
Over the counter sleeping pills in the UK can be effective for an occasional sleepless night. However, there are some caveats.
Most over-the-counter sleeping pills contain antihistamines. Tolerance to the sedative effects of antihistamines can develop quickly, so the longer you take them, the less likely you are to make you sleepy.
Also, some over-the-counter sleeping pills can make you feel groggy and sick the next day. This is the so-called “hangover effect.”
Interactions with other medications can also occur, but much remains to be done on the safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter sleeping pills.
Having a regular sleep schedule, exercising regularly, avoiding caffeine and naps during the day, and keeping stress under control can also help. But there are times when adding prescription sleeping pills like UK meds can help you get much-needed rest.