Almost every job in every industry seems to come with requirements to complete training in an LMS at least every year.
They’re not often considered to be an employee benefit.
They are.
Many LMSes offer a free sleep course.
LMSes—which are “Learning Management Systems—are cloud-based software packages focused on employee training. They can cover a lot of different things from how to work a fire extinguisher, mop up chemical spills, or network for sales.
Often overlooked are personal improvement courses.
While mandatory training on why you should wear a seatbelt in your delivery van (or whatever) can be painful, reviewing a course that you’re interested in isn’t so bad.
Such courses are free.
Oh, they’re not free to your employer, of course. They’re part of the cost of having employees and doing business.
To you, however, they’re free.
What’s better than free is that they have useful information and can be interesting.
Really.
They’re interesting in that it might be enough to solve a problem or sharpen a skill.
An LMS course on improving sleep
Relias is one of the largest suppliers of LMS content in the United States.
Some of its competitors include KMI Learning, Skillsoft, Topyx, and TalentLMS.
In some cases, the LMS is unique to the employer. For example, the U.S. Army has its own dedicated LMS, ALMS.
Whatever the supplier, they offer a number of short personal improvement courses just like their competitors. Topics include various career enhancement courses, eating healthfully, and sleep.
The course from Relias on how to get better sleep had some solid advice.
- Make it a priority (because it’s important).
- Be consistent.
- Avoid naps.
- Don’t drink alcohol before bedtime.
- Don’t eat a heavy dinner before bedtime.
Sleep medication should be limited to one or two times a month. If you take sleep medication frequently, you could get used to it. Then you might be unable to fall asleep without it after that.
Don’t let your bedroom become a work area.
Develop a bedtime routine.
The course is nothing fancy. It doesn’t pretend to tackle complicated sleep problems.
And that’s okay. Let the sleep centers, the sleep specialists and experts help people deal with those.
Knowing what’s right, knowing why it’s important, is the first step. Implementing those things can be a challenge.
Heeding the basic advice could save your health which might save you thousands of dollars and your life.
LMSes are employee benefits few consider.
If you don’t have access to an LMS…
If your employer doesn’t offer courses through an LMS, check at your local public library to see if they offer an online course in sleep.
James Cobb RN, MSN, is an emergency department nurse and the founder of the Dream Recovery System. His goal is to provide his readers with simple, actionable ways to improve their health and maximize their quality of life.
We use some affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission. This has no effect on our opinions.