Sleep and recovery toolkit launched

The Sleep and Recovery Toolkit is designed to help staff get a better night’s sleep and, as a result, boost productivity.

Sleep deprivation is a growing public health issue, with one in three people in the UK affected by insomnia. Living in a 24/7 “always on” society, as well as the impacts of physical and mental health issues and the stresses of modern life and mean many people’s sleep is more disrupted than a few decades ago. A lack of sleep is increasingly being linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, and raises the risk of accident and injury.

But sleep is not just critical to health, it essential for maintaining cognitive skills such as communicating well, remembering key information, and being creative and flexible in thought. This is important for employers, especially as sleep deprivation results in 200,000 working days lost every year, costing the UK economy £30bn.

As such the toolkit will make helpful materials available to all employers, irrespective of size, sector or familiarity with the subject. They are designed to help employers take positive actions to build a culture that champions good mental and physical health and provide a greater understanding of how to help those who need more support. For larger organisations, the toolkits are also useful resources to share with businesses in your supply chain and across your network.