If you find yourself lying in bed night after night, struggling to drift off, then it might be time to take up a new hobby…
Because a new study by scientists Oakland University has shown that doing something fun and relaxing after a bad day at work really could help give you a better night’s sleep.
The team, whose work has just been published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, concluded this after quizzing almost 700 US workers about a range of factors, including their sleep quality, work environment and how much they relaxed in the evening.
No surprises here, but the researchers found that participants who had more negative thoughts about work – particularly because of rude colleagues – had a harder time drifting off. And, when they did nod off, they were also more likely to wake in the night.
But those who made an effort to decompress after their working day with a relaxing activity, such as yoga, listening to music or even going for a walk, were found to sleep better.
‘Incivility in the workplace takes a toll on sleep quality,’ concluded study author Dr Caitlin Demsky in a release.
‘It does so in part by making people repeatedly think about their negative work experiences. Those who can take mental breaks from this fare better and do not lose as much sleep as those who are less capable of letting go.’
She continued: ‘Sleep quality is crucial because sleep plays a major role in how employees perform and behave at work.
‘In our fast-paced, competitive professional world, it is more important than ever that workers are in the best condition to succeed, and getting a good night’s sleep is key to that.’
Anyway, next time to you have a rough day at work, you know what to do…
