“Work can come with a significant cost,” says MacFarlane. Long hours, commutes and 24/7 expectations, not to mention shift work, can all cut into precious downtime.
If you are dealing with a stressful job or negative work environment, the sleep loss could be exponential. “Working in a ‘toxic’ environment may lead to frustration and despair, which can have an impact on the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep,” says Libman.
For anyone whose sleep/wake cycle is out of synch, Libman recommends a combination of melatonin (found in the vitamin section in pharmacies), and bright light exposure during work hours, to help them adjust it. “Melatonin is a hormone that the body produces naturally that signals sleep time is coming,” says Libman, who recommends taking a small dose–three milligrams–several hours before your normal bedtime, which is when your body should produce it naturally. Melatonin does not make you sleep, but rather helps promote sleep onset. Libman suggests consulting a sleep specialist to find out the proper timing of melatonin for you. She also recommends getting a dose of bright light exposure–preferably a half-hour–upon waking up to help you feel more alert. Special lamps, originally developed to treat seasonal affective disorder, that deliver the right kind of UV-protected light exposure (look for 10,000 lux [a measure of light intensity]) are available at electronics retailers. Place the lamp on the table during breakfast (follow the manufacturer’s directions; it is usually placed 12 to 14 inches away from your face).
Libman cautions that bright light exposure should be limited in the late afternoon and evening. She even recommends wearing sunglasses in the late part of the day so as not to interfere with the production of natural melatonin (which is inhibited by light exposure). She notes that, when it comes to screen time in the evening, TV is a better choice than a computer; the bright light from a computer screen close to your face can suppress melatonin. If you don’t want to give up your computer before bed, Libman suggests using orange-tinted sunglasses. “They counteract the blue lightwaves, which are most alerting.”
Then there’s shift work, when work schedules conflict with the body’s natural circadian rhythm, forcing people to work and keep awake when tired, and sleep when alert; this often results in poor sleep quality. If you are trying to invert the sleep/wake cycle, the bright light should be administered during the night, explains Libman.