VOL. 08 | ISSUE 1 | Spring 2025
Doc Talk:
Don’t Sleep on the Importance
of a Good Night’s Rest
This article is part of a regular feature for The Miner called Doc Talk, in which Dr. Richard Vinroot, Vice President and Global Medical Director, addresses topics related to the health and wellness of Freeport employees.
After a long day at work, it’s time to focus on the important business of a good night of sleep. Unfortunately, many people don’t approach their sleep with the same vigor they apply to other aspects of their lives. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get at least seven hours of sleep each day. However, a CDC survey indicates 37 percent of adults are falling short of that number, putting them at risk for a host of health issues.
In this Doc Talk, Dr. Vinroot discusses the important role sleep plays in overall physical and mental health and offers some suggestions for how employees can be successful in shutting down.
Why is sleep such an important part of overall health?
If you don’t get enough sleep, you don’t feel good. That’s pretty straightforward. Or you feel tired, and you’re not as productive during the day. Therefore, you don’t enjoy your day. But it can lead to lots of health problems for multiple reasons. Sleeplessness can lead to psychiatric issues like depression and anxiety. But it also can lead to medical issues because of what goes on in your body when you are not getting enough sleep. Your body responds to not getting enough sleep kind of like how it responds to an infection. Chemical levels in the body are altered, and it can lead to all kinds of issues: increased weight and an inability to lose weight, which can lead to diabetes and high blood pressure.
Many people appear to be able to function at work despite not getting a recommended level of sleep. Why is that still a concern?
From a workforce standpoint, we believe that sleeplessness can lead to mistakes. It can lead to more injuries. We know when people are driving down the road and they are sleep-deprived, there is a higher chance of them getting into an accident. So why would we not think our employees – whether they drive a haul truck or work in one of the mills – might make a mistake if they are sleep-deprived?
When people embark on a mission to improve their health, it seems the focus generally falls on things like exercise and nutrition. Should people be as intentional when it comes to sleep?
Very much so. We’ve learned there are different sleep requirements for different ages, but we’ve also learned that some people can better function than others with less sleep. Being an emergency room doctor, we would sometimes have to stay awake for 36 hours. That was part of our training. Unfortunately, it was viewed as one of the hurdles you had to jump over to become a physician. However, now – even in medicine –
they’ve cut down on the amount of time we can be in the hospital because doctors have determined it was dangerous. If doctors have determined it was wrong and dangerous, the general population should definitely treat it the same way.
In your experience as an emergency room doctor, what types of incidents have you seen where lack of sleep was a contributing factor?
In the emergency room, a lot of it is because of car accidents. Your ability to respond is impacted if you are sleep-deprived. We saw a lot of injuries of people who are sleep-deprived having accidents. I’m also aware of physicians who have accidents because they were sleep-deprived. Lack of sleep also can be a contributor to accidents in the workplace as well, hence the need for us all to be vigilant.
What are some recommendations to help get a proper night’s rest?
There are some obvious things people can do, such as having a dark, cool, quiet room to sleep in. Make sure you have a comfortable bed. Eat a good diet. Avoid heavy meals prior to sleep. Exercise regularly but not right before you try to sleep. Avoiding electronics, video games, television, bright lights, phones and other devices before you go to bed is a good way to protect the sleep environment. Instead of reading emails, read a book. Go to bed at the same time each night. Avoid excessive caffeine, alcohol and energy drinks before going to bed.
When should someone seek professional help if they still are struggling to get enough sleep?
If your spouse says you snore a lot or you find yourself waking up at night out of breath, you should think about making an appointment with your doctor about a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea, as there are treatments for that. That would be the next step if the things we have suggested aren’t working.
Health effects of
sleep deprivation:
Fatigue and a lack of energy
Poor balance and coordination
Mood changes and mental health issues
Forgetfulness and neurological concerns
Changes in appearance
Weakened immune system
Weight gain
High stress levels
Greater chance of car accidents
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Increased risk of other health issues
Source: Cleveland Clinic