Welcome to Healthy Exchange ...your quarterly online newsletter from Sapphire Resource Connection, your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Each issue provides information to help you better deal with personal, family or work-related concerns.

Your EAP is Here to Help

If you’re faced with a problem that seems hard to solve on your own, your EAP can help you with free, confidential counseling, information or referrals. Your EAP is a DIRECT ACCESS MODEL so you can call an approved EAP counselor of your choice to schedule an appointment. To obtain phone listings for your EAP counselors, visit www.sr-connection.com or contact your Human Resource Department. For more information call (406) 523-7707 or toll-free: 1-866-767-9511.

 

Winter 2024 Edition


Wellness

Improve Your Sleep For A Better 2024


Sleep is more important than you may think. To live healthier, happier and more productively in 2024, keep the following in mind:

Sleep and your appetite – A study from the University of Chicago found that lack of sleep makes you want to eat more. The reason? Sleep loss appears to trigger changes in hormones that regulate appetite and stimulate hunger for high-calorie foods like cookies and chips. According to another study, people who get less than the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night are up to 73% more likely to be obese.

Sleep and your physical health – According to the Harvard-run Nurses’ Study, failing to get enough sleep heightens the risk for a variety of major illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes. A report from the study summarizes that a sleep deficit may put the body into a state of high alert, increasing the production of stress hormones and driving up blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, people who are sleep-deprived have elevated levels of substances in the blood that indicate a heightened state of inflammation in the body, which is now also recognized as a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Sleep and your mental health – It is well-known that sleep problems can be a key sign of depression. However, the latest medical research now reports that the reverse is also true – sleep disorder can actually trigger depression or other mood disorders. The explanation? Sleep, mood and mental/emotional behaviors all share a complex mix of chemistry in the brain. Disordered sleep appears to set off an array of forces in the brain and nervous system that can result in a depressed mood, major depressive episode or other mood disorder.

Sleep and your productivity – According to a Better Sleep Council survey, sleep-deprived workers reported the following as work-related consequences from lack of sleep:

  • 31 percent reported a decline in quality of work
  • 31 percent reported impaired thinking or judgment at work
  • 30 percent reported trouble retaining information

The survey summarized that “sleep deprivation impacts your alertness, your productivity and your ability to socially interact with co-workers.”

To live healthier and happier in 2024, commit to getting 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep per night (the recommended average for adults)…you’ll be glad you did.

Your EAP is here to help

If sleep is a problem for you or one of your dependents, contact your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for CONFIDENTIAL counseling, referrals or information. We’re here to help you.

 
   
 

Healthy Exchange is © Jenican Communications. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is not intended to provide medical advice on personal wellness matters. Please consult your physician for medical advice.