Feeling sleepy at work may not just be tiredness

Everyone has been through this situation: you are at work and suddenly keeping your eyes open and concentration working seem like impossible tasks. Some people find it more difficult than others to stay awake during work or study hours, and there are several factors that lead to this difficulty.

How each person's biological clock works influences this point, as some people feel more willing at night while sleeping during the day seems to be the most appropriate attitude (or, at least, the attitude the body demands. ).

It is also important to pay attention to the type of food you have, especially in the morning and at lunch time. Heavy or fatty foods require a great effort from the body to be digested. Therefore, eating these foods helps to increase the feeling of sleep, especially after meals.


However, if you sleep well at night, exercise regularly, eat healthily, and yet sleep strikes in the middle of the office or class, the cause may not be your behavior, but the air of the environment in which you find yourself.

According to a study by the State University of New York, in partnership with the University of California, and published by the Daily Mail, the large amount of carbon dioxide found in the air in workplaces and classrooms may be responsible for feeling of excessive sleep. This is because this substance affects our ability to concentrate and even to make clear decisions.

The research was attended by 24 volunteers, who were instructed to perform some simple tasks involving concentration. They should be performed in three different environments. One had a CO2 concentration of 600 parts per million (ppm), in the second it was 1000 ppm and in the third it reached 2500 ppm. The results were clear: in the rooms with higher CO2 concentration volunteers had more difficulty to perform the proposed activities without yawning.


This is a very difficult problem to solve, since the main source of carbon dioxide is human respiration. Therefore, in places where many people live together, it is natural that there is a high concentration of CO2. In general, this concentration can be two to eight times higher indoors than in open spaces.

According to research, in an outdoor environment the carbon dioxide concentration is about 380 ppm, while in work environments it is about 1000 ppm. In classrooms the problem is even more serious and CO2 rates can reach 3000 ppm.

To address this, it is important to understand that the amount and quality of ventilation is directly related to these numbers. In well-ventilated environments with air circulation, the concentration of carbon dioxide decreases and the feeling of drowsiness tends to decrease. It turns out that when we yawn, our body is trying to rebalance the relationship between oxygen and CO2 in the blood. Therefore, open windows or an air conditioner with clean filters may be the solution.

Fatigue in the Workplace - Safety Training Video - Safetycare Fatigue at Work free preview (March 2024)


  • Wellness, Sleep
  • 1,230