SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation has highlighted the importance of adequate sleep and rest for officers across the force.<\/p>\n
Steve Kent, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, has highlighted how a number of colleagues are reaching \u201cbreaking point\u201d as they are stretched by the demand they currently face.<\/p>\n
The Oscar-Kilo National Police Wellbeing Survey quizzed 22,000 officers and police staff across England and Wales – 40% of respondents said they had trouble drifting off to sleep \u2013 saying they get fewer than six hours a night.<\/p>\n
Officers also feel they are less valued by the public than before.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cI quite enjoyed working shifts but the fact is that it completely affects your body clock. There\u2019s anecdotal evidence out there that working shifts can sometimes accelerate health problems like diabetes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have actually seen in a lot of officer\u2019s cases where medical problems have been exasperated by this irregularity. If everybody, in theory, was having 6 hours of solid sleep every night between 12 and 6, it would probably be much better than people having 6 hours all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve added: \u201cThe challenges of life and the challenges of family life often see officers when they\u2019re on nights get up early so they don\u2019t waste the day. It\u2019s a very difficult balancing thing to have.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think what we need to try and encourage people is to have as much quality rest as they possibly can, whether that be the focus especially on days off, getting a good night\u2019s sleep, or focusing on the actual working days, trying to get that good sleep. \u201c<\/p>\n