Insomnia is the second most common cause of absenteeism from work after motherhood. Are you stuck in the vicious circle of sleeplessness?

If it takes a cold shower and five cups of coffee just to drag you out of the front door in the mornings, the odds are your work will suffer as a result.

Insomnia is defined as a lack of sleep in quality or quantity. Women, older people and those living alone tend to suffer from it most. In the UK, insomnia is the second most common cause of absenteeism from work after motherhood.

Those who do make it to work without a good night's rest are normally less productive than their fresh-faced workmates, and therefore less likely to be promoted. A 1994 study into the effects of insomnia in the workplace found that absenteeism and accidents caused by lack of sleep cost the US economy between $92 and $107.5 billion a year. In the UK that figure was estimated at between £10 and £12 billion.

There are various factors that contribute to insomnia including long working hours, stress and irregular shift patterns. One in three British adults will suffer from lack of sleep at some point in their working lives. For others, irregular sleep patterns or sustained periods without sleep will lead to chronic insomnia.

Long and irregular working hours
Elisabeth Mullan, 28, works for an advertising company in London. She suffered from insomnia until recently. 'My job requires flexibility, which basically means that I have to be at work for as long as it takes to get the job done. I always get to the office for 9am but some nights I won't get home until midnight. It's very difficult to establish a regular sleep pattern that way and I realised it was affecting my work in the long term and probably my chances of getting promoted. Some days I was falling asleep at my desk at three in the afternoon.'

Elisabeth turned to meditation and exercise to combat her insomnia. 'I read an article by Sally Brampton, the editor of Red magazine in which she talked about her insomnia and how she had taken up transcendental meditation. I started working out and meditating and found that I was more productive at work. As a result, I was able to get my work done in time to get home and have a good night's sleep. I'm pretty much back to normal now.'

Professor Chris Idzikowski, the director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service and author of Learn to Sleep Well believes there is no easy solution to the problem of insomnia. 'The main culprit is shift work and there is not much that can be done about it,' says Idzikowski. 'On average, shift workers sleep one and a half hours less per day than people who are on a fixed working day. It has proved very difficult to enforce legislation to regulate working hours and most companies don't have the time or the money to address the problem.'

Effects and solutions
Lack of sleep can lead to mood swings and depression and can also affect the part of the brain that improves memory and learning. There is also a more serious and potentially life-threatening consequence. The investigations into disasters such as Chernobyl and the grounding of the Exxon Valdez found that individuals suffering from lack of sleep were partly to blame for those tragedies. Falling asleep at the wheel is one of the most common causes of road accidents in the UK, particularly among overnight shift workers.

Those who suffer from insomnia and lack of sleep often delay seeking help until it's too late. Says Idzikowski: 'We usually get calls from people who are really suffering and in the process of giving up work because the stress of not getting enough sleep has become too much. It's important to do something about insomnia much sooner than that.'

Professor Idzikowski advises insomniacs to 're-learn' how to sleep properly.

• Insomniacs should use their beds only to sleep - get out of bed and do something else if you can't drop off.
• Cut down on stimulants like caffeine and don't eat or drink alcohol too late at night.
• By keeping regular sleeping hours and going to bed and waking up at the same time every day your body will ease itself into a sleeping programme.
• Regulate the temperature of your sleeping environment - it shouldn't be too hot or cold.
• Give up smoking - smokers generally find it more difficult to sleep soundly.

If you are suffering from lack of sleep and it's affecting your work you can contact the Sleep Assessment Advisory Service 028 92622266 or visit the website at www.neuronic.com.

Chat to other insomniacs and find sleep solutions on the Insomnia & Sleep Problems messageboard.