NSC to employers: Your workers may be especially tired on Monday
As daylight saving time begins, NSC urges organizations to invest in worker sleep health
As most parts of the country prepare to turn clocks ahead one hour, the National Safety Council is cautioning employers that workers in certain positions and industries who already have a higher risk of being drowsy may be even more tired than usual next Monday. According to a new NSC report, Tired at Work: How fatigue affects our bodies, shift workers, medical staff, emergency responders, military personnel, any worker over age 40, and transportation professionals – especially those who work rotating or night shifts – always are at increased risk for circadian misalignment, which occurs when we force ourselves to stay awake at hours when our bodies believe we should be sleeping. Hence, losing an hour of sleep may hurt this group of workers most.
Tired at Work is released just as daylight saving time begins and Americans lose one hour of sleep. Research shows that fatal car crashes – already more likely if we are tired – increase on the Monday following the time change.[i]