Winter 2023 - 14

POLICE
5 Sleep Strategies for Officers
By Wesley Sykes, Managing Editor
P
oor sleep is associated with bad health
outcomes, worse well-being, and decreases
in performance, productivity, and safety at work.
Police officers are exposed to several risk
factors including extended work schedules,
shift work, occupational stress, dangerous, and
traumatic events, and can, as such, develop
sleep problems.
High levels of stress and fatigue are strictly
inherent to police work. Police officers often
experience extended work schedules, shift
work, occupational stress, and dangerous
14 | Tactical Training & Conditioning | Winter 2023
and traumatic events. Numerous studies have
reported that, compared with other professions,
police officers are at increased risk for stressrelated
physical illnesses, including heart disease
and metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, they
are at high risk for developing psychological
problems such as depression.
A 2011 study entitled 'Sleep disorders,
health, and safety in police officers,' involving
4,957 police officers from the United States and
Canada, observed a considerable percentage of
sleep problems. Forty percent screened positive
Winter 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Winter 2023
