4 Simple Strategies for Coping With Less Sleep at Work

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Negotiate a flexible schedule

Jo Dickison, 38, has had insomnia on and off for about five years, and she lets her boss know when she's having a rough week or month. "Luckily he understands," says the executive assistant in Washington, D.C. "If I finally fall asleep at 6 a.m., I'll sleep in an extra hour."

In a 2007 Wake Forest University study, researchers found that workers who felt their jobs had adequate flexibility to meet personal and family commitments also reported getting more sleep. These people may not be working as late or are perhaps less stressed and sleeping better at night, the authors suspect. Talk with your employer about the possibility of setting some of your own hours, or about whether you might be eligible for special arrangements.