There are many things that today's round-the-clock working culture has robbed us off, the most vital among them being sleep. Visit any BPO office and you will find a band of twenty somethings staggering through yet another night, coping with the working hours of client companies in a different time zone. However, it would be unfair to blame only the outsourcing industry of sleep deprivation--the picture is just the same in sectors like hospitality, media, health care and aviation.  

Sleep deprivation leads to premature ageing and fall of quality in overall performance. Moreover, health-related issues arising from lack of sleep is also a vital reason behind high attrition rate and thus a potential cause of worry for HR managers. 

So the question that keeps bothering the managers is, "What is the solution?"

How the management can help you

Shantanu Banerjee, Director, HR, Xansa, says, "We have a visiting doctor who meets our employees to discuss various health-related issues with them. This certainly helps as they know where the problem is and how to deal with it."

Motif Inc. also has a trainer visiting employees every week. "We don't push our employees to work at regular night shifts. We offer them monthly rotations," says Nirja Sharma, Vice President, HR, Motif Inc.

The management can help employees overcome health problems due to sleep deprivation through friendly and flexible policies. According to Sanjay Patnayak, Psychiatrist, Rockland Hospital, "Avoid assigning rotating shifts to employees frequently." Adding further, he says, "Management can ensure that the employees get proper and timely breaks during the shift."

He also advises that a minimum of two days off is a must between changing shifts. This helps the employees to change their daily routine as per the new timing.

How you can help yourself

Management can only be a supporting factor in balancing your life and work. But you have to take the final call and set your routine properly. Here are some useful tips for you.

* Don't delay sleep: First, you need to get rid of the problem of thinking too much. Go to sleep the moment  you feel sleepy instead of staring at the ceiling after you missed the right time.

* Sleep on a comfortable bed: Just sleeping does not solve the problem for you. What is important is having quality sleep. For that, you need a very comfortable bed which helps you coax your body into the deeper levels of sleep for a better and refreshing tomorrow.

* Avoid coffee: Although coffee seems to be a life saver when it comes to working late-night shifts, it is almost a killer for your rest. So the mantra for sleep is: 'No coffee late night'.

* Drink milk: Here comes the relevance of the age-old tips of grandma, "Drink a glass of milk before sleeping." Milk has a chemical component which helps you relax and fall asleep soon.

* Relax before going to bed: Everyone has a different sleeping pattern and the body corresponds to it differently. So try and figure out how much hours of sleep your body needs to relax. Try simple tips like taking a bath, meditating and listening to light music before going to bed.

*  Avoid naps: Sleeping for some time during the day or when you get time might sound relaxing at the moment but it turns immensely harmful and deprives you of quality sleep.

* Avoid stress: Easier said than done. But if you cannot avoid it, then try thinking something good before you go off to sleep. This helps.

* Practise Yoga: This is immensely helpful to keep yourself healthy and happy as well. But don't do yoga right before you go to bed.

Try these today itself and you will find yourself a completely rejuvenated individual the next day.