FACTS

1. Farmers, particularly during busy times of the year, often work long hours, don’t have time to unwind and then have problems sleeping when they do get to bed. This cycle can lead to fatigue.
2. Farmers and farm workers build up a “sleep debt” because they work long hours and are unable to switch off when they do get to bed.

STATS

• Getting the right amount of sleep is a major challenge for farmers. In a recent survey, more than two-thirds of respondents (68%) said they didn’t always get enough sleep, with more than a quarter (28%) saying they had difficulty sleeping all or most of the time.
• As net sleep decreases, farmers become less stable, even when standing on both feet with their eyes open. The odds of having reduced balance stability were 7.4 times higher when farmers slept fewer hours than normal the night before.
• Farmers who slept fewer than 7.5 hours per night increased their risk for injuries by 61% compared to those who slept 7.5 to 8.5 hours. Consuming alcohol – even one drink per day – increased the risk of injuries among those not getting enough sleep.