New Study Reveals Link Between American Office Workers' Sleep Habits and Next Day Workplace Performance

STAMFORD, Conn., Dec. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey commissioned by Philips Consumer Lifestyle, a leader in products for well-being, reveals that most American office workers don't consistently get good sleep, which is affecting their on-the-job performance.  Findings from the new 'Workplace Power Outage' Sleep Survey*, which looks at sleep patterns, habits and  behaviors of white-collar office workers in the United States, challenge conventional assumptions about amount and quality of sleep and their relation to productivity in the workplace.  

The highlights:

• 85 percent of office workers admit that if they slept more, they would be more productive while on the job
• More than half (56%) of office workers don't consistently get a good night's sleep
• Two-thirds (64%) of office workers surveyed believe that lack of sleep means their day begins on a low note
• Two-thirds (64%) of employees do not wake up before their alarm goes off and more than one-third (37%) are not ready to get up when their alarm goes off

"The findings from the 'Workplace Power Outage' sleep survey support the link between sleep and workplace performance," says Russell Rosenberg, PhD., Vice Chairman of the National Sleep Foundation and Director of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology. "The survey shows that inadequate sleep and poor sleep habits are primary factors for poor job performance, and can also lead to increased irritability, moodiness and lack of energy."  

Findings from the survey have also uncovered that productivity of office workers suffers directly from sleep habits. Of the office workers surveyed in the study, nearly one-in-three (32 percent) of office workers have admitted to oversleeping and waking up after they were supposed to be at work. In addition, nearly one-in-four (23 percent) of office workers admit to taking a nap at work.  

The survey has additionally found that office workers that do consistently sleep well keep their energy and focus throughout the day while employees that only periodically get good sleep are lacking energy and lose focus.  Specifically, over half (57 percent) of employees that get good sleep almost every night are energetic at the start of the day. By the end of the day, 44 percent still feel energetic.  However, among those who don't sleep well consistently, only 39 percent feel energetic in the morning and by the end of the day, less than one-fourth (23 percent) still feel energetic.

"The typical office worker usually accounts for hours slept as a measure of healthy sleeping, when in fact, there are several variables, " says Dr. Rosenberg. "Room temperature, comfort, bedtime, room lighting and method of wake up are all contributing factors of healthy sleep habits that can make a person feel better during the day. One tip is to get at least 30 minutes of exposure to bright light in the morning using a light  device to energize you and prepare you for a productive day."

"Given how important it is for workers to be at their best in the office, people need tools to help them sleep and wake up better," says Jacopo D'Alessandris, VP, Marketing Philips Consumer Lifestyle North America, Philips.  "Light can affect your natural sleep-wake cycle. Products such as the Philips Wake-up Light, which simulates a morning sunrise, allows people to feel more energized when they wake."  

The survey concludes that, in general, office workers who have poor sleep habits and do not get a good night's sleep experience bad starts to the day, lack of productivity on the job, along with negative moods.  Higher productivity in the workplace can be linked to the volume and quality of sleep – better rested employees cite more positive workdays.

Visit www.lighttherapy.com to learn how light can help you feel more energetic or visit www.sleepfoundation.org for more information about the benefits of sleep.

*The survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 white collar workers was fielded by Braun Research Inc. via telephone (landline and mobile), and was conducted 5th - 15th November, 2010.  The margin of error on this survey is +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence level

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs more than 118,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 23 billion in 2009, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

About the National Sleep Foundation

The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving sleep health and safety through education, public awareness and advocacy. It is well-known for its annual Sleep in America poll. The Foundation is a charitable, educational and scientific not-for-profit organization located in Washington, DC. Its membership includes researchers and clinicians focused on sleep medicine, professionals in the health, medical and science fields, individuals, patients, families affected by drowsy driving and more than 900 healthcare facilities throughout North America. Please visit www.sleepfoundation.org for more information.

SOURCE Royal Philips Electronics