Key takeaways
- Most officers interviewed reported getting seven hours or less of sleep per night, placing them in the sleep-deprived category
- Fatigue increases risks of critical incidents, injuries and poor health, while adequate rest improves reaction time, emotions and overall well-being
- Barriers to proper sleep include unpredictable shifts, mandatory overtime, personal stress and stigma around admitting fatigue
- Practical strategies include maintaining consistent routines, limiting alcohol and caffeine before bed, and using relaxation techniques such as yoga, journaling and breathing exercises
- Agencies can support officers by integrating sleep education into training and employee assistance programs, providing access to fitness, nutrition and peer support resources
From The University of Texas at Arlington
Christine Spadola knows the toll of poor sleep. She has studied its effects on everyone from teenagers to retired NFL players, but she has always been interested in how it impacts police. Her brother once worked overnight shifts, often getting home at 7 a.m., and she wondered how fatigue might affect those in a high-stakes profession.
That interest came to fruition from an unexpected place: new employee orientation. Spadola had just joined the University of Texas at Arlington’s School of Social Work as a professor when she met Christi Gullion, a newly hired professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Gullion brought more than two decades of experience working with police departments in major metropolitan areas including Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Miami, addressing a range of issues including policy, training, supervision, oversight, accountability and use of force.
“Ultimately, my goal is to support officers and their agencies to improve on-the-job performance,” Gullion said. “This is accomplished by providing them the practical tools, training and information to enhance officer health and well-being.”
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Spadola and Gullion recently collaborated on a research project linking police fatigue with performance risk. The study — “Sleep affects everything”: understanding challenges and interventions for police sleep health” — highlighted how widespread this issue has become. Every police officer and supervisor interviewed reported sleeping seven hours or less per night, which is in the sleep-deprived category.
The dangers of sleep deprivation are well documented, including an increased risk of critical incidents, injuries and accidental deaths. The benefits of proper sleep are also well known, such as improved reaction time, steadier emotions and better overall health.
“We have so much more data on how shift work can be detrimental to physical and mental health,” Spadola said. “Just the fact that so many police officers are shift workers warrants special attention. How can we take what we know about interventions and apply it here?”
The study detailed various barriers police face in getting adequate rest. The unpredictable nature of police work — from sudden calls that extend a shift to mandatory overtime — makes it difficult to have an everyday sleep schedule. Add in other stresses, whether from personal life or the stigma around admitting fatigue, and it’s a complex problem with multiple layers.
But, as the study noted, every supervisor and officer was interested in ways to improve their own sleep.
“Officers are doing a tough job. The work, the hours, the time away from family,” Gullion said. “But all of them expressed an interest in improving themselves. They welcome information and tools to improve their health and performance.”
With that, Spadola and Gullion put together practical, evidence-based strategies for improving sleep health in the police community.
Routine, routine, routine
One of the best ways to improve sleep is to set a consistent schedule. Wake-up times, meals, exercise and downtime should be as regular as possible.
When you wake up, get bright light right away. This could be as simple as stepping outside for a walk or drinking coffee near a window. Light, Spadola said, is a circadian clock — your internal timekeeper — “time giver.”
“It tells your body it’s time to start the day,” Spadola said.
Similarly, wind down the same way every night to signal bedtime.
Gullion added that supervisors of police departments can help by avoiding frequent shift changes and minimizing the cancellation of scheduled days off, both of which are critical for maintaining officer wellness, morale and operational readiness.
“It’s important for supervisors to let officers adjust to a consistent schedule,” Gullion said. “I’d also encourage them to bring officers to the table. Ask them what they need, what challenges they face and what would actually help. That promotes buy-in and acknowledges their experiences.”
Avoid alcohol close to bedtime
Given a high-stakes profession such as policing, it’s common to want to crack a beer or two after a shift has ended. However, “alcohol might help you fall asleep, but it will disrupt sleep later,” Spadola said. “Studies have shown that alcohol consumed within four hours of bed significantly hurts sleep quality.”
Hydrate early and be mindful of caffeine
Drink water in the morning and afternoon, less in the evening. This reduces nighttime wake-ups. Avoid caffeine and energy drinks late in the day too. If you need natural stimulation later in the day, try a brisk walk or as colleague Dr. Aric Prather suggests, “Plunge your head in the freezer! The shock of cold wakes up your brain like jumper cables on a car battery.”
Screen time? Depends
The common theme these days is to say, “Put down the phone or tablet.” When it comes to a sleep routine, though, research suggests that what you’re viewing may be more important than the impact from blue light. Simply put, if watching puppies or manatees on your phone helps you relax, there might not be a reason to avoid screen time leading up to bed. However, if you’re doomscrolling or watching an action movie that overstimulates you, it’s best to put the screen away.
No stigmas
It’s important to remove any preconceived notions or stigma from the following relaxation techniques that are proven to help sleep. These include:
- Yoga: A recent study at Harvard Medical School found that a relaxing yoga routine promoted better sleep.
- Journaling: Spend 10–20 minutes writing down what you’re anxious about as it will help keep those worries from bleeding into the night. If they creep in, consciously remind yourself there is a time to address them — tomorrow, in the light of day.
- Breathing exercises: Think 4-7-8 — breathe in for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds, exhale for eight seconds. Repeat four times.
| WATCH: Tactical breathing for first responders
Trial and error
There is no such thing as a “perfect” night’s sleep and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. A cool, dark, quiet room helps most, but experiment. Earplugs, noise machines, eye shades, weighted blankets or even a shower before bed can all be effective. If you wake up feeling great, note what you did the night before — and repeat it.
Seek professional help
If sleep difficulties continue, seek professional guidance from a physician who can help identify or rule out underlying conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, which frequently goes undiagnosed. Importantly, the gold standard treatment for insomnia is not medication but Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Accessing care from a provider trained in CBT-I, or using evidence-based digital tools, can be an effective way to address persistent sleep issues.
Agency support
Agencies can help with sleep education by incorporating it into both academy and ongoing in-service training, Gullion said. This can include practical strategies and evidence-based interventions to promote healthy sleep. Additionally, agencies can strengthen support by integrating sleep-focused resources into the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) such as gym memberships, on-duty fitness time, access to nutritionists, peer support groups and other sleep-related services.
“This can provide officers with meaningful tools to improve their overall health, resilience and job performance,” Gullion said.
You’re not alone
Police are at a higher risk of fatigue, but many people are facing similar issues. It’s hard to overstate the importance of a good night’s rest, though. In fact, the American Heart Association recently expanded its Life’s Essential 7 to Life’s Essential 8, adding sleep as a key measure for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health.
As Spadola concluded, “Being human is hard, and it’s even harder if you’re sleep-deprived.”
For more information on sleep, visit the American Academy of Sleep Medicine website. Gullion and Spadola also recommend officers access a free shift work training developed by the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety that addresses sleep.
About the researchers
Dr. Christine Spadola is an assistant professor at UT Arlington’s School of Social Work and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Christi Gullion has spent more than two decades consulting with various police agencies across the United States on national best and promising practices in policing, with a focus on police reform, supervision and accountability, and organizational transformation. After earning her doctorate in 2022, she joined UT Arlington’s College of Liberal Arts as an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice.
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university, recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, a distinction that makes it among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity.
| WATCH THE POLICING MATTERS PODCAST: From sleep divorce to sleep apnea, Dr. Leah Kaylor explains how cops can fix hidden sleep killers that put safety and performance at risk
