Catherine Rutland discusses the importance of a good night’s sleep.
I am a bit of ‘sleep freak’, I am not sure if that is a real thing, however the term kind of fits me! I usually get eight or nine hours’ sleep a night and I get a little grumpy if I don’t.
I suppose it is like my comfort blanket, that however things are going, I know that if I can get a good night’s sleep then things will be different in the morning.
There has been a lot of talk in the last few months around the importance of sleep and the effect this situation has had on many people’s sleep patterns. It is always hard isn’t it, that the times when you would most benefit from a good night’s sleep, are the most likely times you won’t get it?
Added to the stresses and strains of the last months there is also changed work patterns and ways of working. These can have huge impacts on whether we are performing at our best.
I am an early morning person, working late is a disaster for me, and by late I mean after about 6pm. So, whilst working from home I have learnt to start early and be disciplined to stop and not get drawn into responding when those late owls are working at their best later in the evening. If I did I would end up working almost all my waking hours, and then struggling to sleep because my brain hasn’t had time to calm down. It becomes a downward cycle, and productivity and focus goes through the floor.
Many practices are working shifts to deal with fallow time and catch up with all those people who need to be seen and this is a great way of making the most of surgery space.
However, have you considered in your team who is working early or late or has it been on dentist preference? If you have an excellent DCP who is asked to work the late shift and is an early morning person, don’t be surprised if they don’t act as you would expect. By 8pm they will be worn out and struggling to focus. Conversely, put a late owl on the 7.30am start and it may start to feel you have a teenager in your surgery early morning!
Whilst this may sound a little dramatic, it really is not. I know from my own experience and I always warn any new team members, that when you start a new role, you will be tired for the first six months. Even if in the same company, or even same team, having to constantly be out of your comfort zone, with new challenges, is tiring.
Practices are in that situation now, new ways of working, new things to remember, new ways of communicating with patients. Don’t underestimate how tiring it is. If you then throw in shifting people’s sleep pattern, you can see why there will be a change in people.
I know there may not be a choice, and if that is the outcome of your consideration, that is as it is, just then be aware of the impact it may be having on people. People are under so much strain, and fear and anxiety. If they are tired, as we all well know, that all seems so much worse.
Guard and protect yourself and your team, you don’t have to turn into a sleep freak, just make sure you create situations where you can get good quality, restful sleep and give your teams the chances to do so as well. I know I am biased, however it really is so good for you!