SLEEP NOTES

To ensure adequate and comfortable sleep, we have compiled these ten recommendations from the perspectives of sleep medicine and occupational health.

1. Adequate and Comfortable Sleep Boosts Motivation and Work Efficiency

Sufficient, high-quality sleep promotes recovery from fatigue and helps relieve stress, supporting an energetic daily life.
Lack of adequate and comfortable sleep increases the risk of lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Insufficient or poor-quality sleep also raises the risk of mental health conditions, including depression.
Good sleep enhances work performance and reduces the risk of traffic accidents and work-related injuries.

2. Ideal Sleep Duration Varies from Person to Person

There is no universally “correct” amount of sleep; eight hours is not a requirement for everyone.
Your ideal sleep duration is the amount that allows you to work without daytime sleepiness and with a sense of vitality.
As people age, sleep tends to become shorter and lighter—this is normal.

Waking up at a consistent time each morning and getting ample sunlight after rising promotes better sleep at night.
Once daily activities begin, the body naturally prepares for sleep 14–16 hours later.
A regular breakfast routine activates the digestive system even before waking and helps improve morning alertness.
Sleeping in more than two hours later than usual on holidays can make it harder to fall asleep that night and may cause a low mood on Monday morning.

A brief nap of about 15 minutes during lunch break reduces afternoon sleepiness and boosts work efficiency.
If you nap on days off, wake up by 3:00 p.m. Napping later interferes with nighttime sleep.

Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, green tea) for four hours before bedtime and avoid smoking for at least one hour before bed, as both worsen sleep quality.
Do not use alcohol as a substitute for sleeping pills—it degrades sleep quality and increases the risk of dependence.
If you need to get up early the next day, going to bed too early may backfire. (Two to four hours before your usual bedtime is actually the hardest time to fall asleep.)
Light to moderate exercise in the late afternoon or evening promotes easier sleep onset and deeper sleep.

Relaxing for one to two hours before bedtime helps promote good sleep.
Find a relaxation method that suits you—such as a warm bath, light reading, music, pleasant scents, or gentle stretching.
Head to bed only when you naturally feel sleepy.

You cannot fall asleep through willpower.
If you cannot fall asleep after about 30 minutes in bed, get up and wait for sleepiness to return while doing something relaxing.
If your sleep feels shallow, try going to bed later and getting up earlier. Reducing the time spent in bed sometimes increases the sense of restorative sleep.

Sleep difficulties can be a sign of underlying physical or mental illness.
Severe snoring, sleep apnea, or restless legs may also disrupt sleep.
If trouble falling asleep continues, if you never feel refreshed, if you cannot wake up in the morning, or if you are excessively sleepy during the day despite enough sleep, consult a physician.
When used under proper medical guidance, modern sleeping medications are safe and can help ensure restful sleep.

Keeping the workplace brightly lit during night shifts reduces drowsiness and improves efficiency.
On your way home after a night shift, wearing sunglasses to avoid bright sunlight can make it easier to fall asleep once home.
After a night shift, ensure a sleep-friendly environment with the cooperation of family members, minimizing light and noise.
Adjustments to shift schedules can also help secure sufficient sleep time.

Source: “Ten Guidelines for Healthy Sleep for Working Adults,” Committee for Sleep Guidelines for Working Generations