Make Hitting The Hay A Priority During Harvest
Sleep deficiency can reduce reaction times and concentration, which could affect health and safety,
as well as productivity during the fall harvest.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.
For many farmers, fall requires long days in the field and little rest. The pressure to harvest as much as possible combined with fatigue and looming deadlines can result increase the risk of potential hazards.
Safety and health of workers, including making time for sleep, should be a priority when considering a farm’s productivity, according to Josie Rudolphi, University of Illinois Extension associate research scientist.
“Rushing and cutting corners can lead to injury, which no one has time for, especially during the harvest,” Rudolphi says.
Rudolphi grew up on a farm and has researched the sleep habits of farmers. She says that getting proper rest can make a huge difference in staying safe, but during the time crunch of harvest season, farmers sacrifice sleep to work late into the night.
“Sleep deficiency has been associated with increased injury, reduced reaction time, and reduced concentration,” Rudolphi says. “All of which could impact health and safety, as well as productivity.”
The demands of harvest are stressful and lack of sleep can intensify that and lead to errors in the fields or even on the roads.
To improve sleep, Rudolphi advises farmers go to bed and wake up at regular times when possible. They can use rainy days to catch up on sleep.
Other sleep health tips include:
• Create a bedroom environment that encourages sleep; keep it quiet, dark, and cool.
• Limit electronic device use.
• Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. ∆