Everybody has different priorities when looking for a job. Some people want a very high pay grade or at least the potential to earn more money over time; some individuals want a fun and social work environment. Fame and visibility are certainly a driving force behind many professionals, while isolation and the option not to see anyone for days on end is an attractive career trait for others. And then there are people who just want to sleep! Which makes sense, since sleep deprivation can alter the chemistry of your brain and make it difficult to feel happy. What good is a fun, social working environment if you’re grumpy and don’t want to talk to people, right? If for you, the best perk of a job is some good slumber time, then you should know about the jobs that get the most and the least sleep.
Exhausted: Private nurses
Private nurses, like those who aid the disabled and elderly, get very little sleep because their patients don’t tend to sleep much, either. Home nurses need to be up any time their patient gets up to simply use the restroom.
Well-rested: Bartenders
If you’re a night owl who often cannot fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning, and are stressed by the concept of going to bed by 10 pm and waking up at 7 am, then you may like the bartender’s life. Bartenders rarely set alarm clocks, since their clock-in time is in the late afternoon if not evening
Exhausted: Cooks and restaurant owners/managers
Even if a restaurant owner or head chef has staff he trusts to take over for him, he can never truly leave his restaurant alone for more than five or six hours since there is always an emergency only he can address.
Well-rested: Religious workers
Perhaps the knowledge that they’re doing good in this work, whether that’s through organizing fundraisers or bringing food to the poor, helps religious workers sleep soundly at night.
Exhausted: Secretaries
Secretaries usually need to get to work before everyone else in the office and leave work after everyone else in the office. It’s their job to organize important details for anywhere from a few to dozens of individuals, and if they lose one post-it note or miss one call, they could cost the company money.
Well-rested: Engineers
The enormous amounts of money some engineers can make probably helps them sleep well at night. Since most engineering jobs pay high per-hour, that also means that engineers can work fewer hours to make a great living.
Exhausted: Financial analysts
The fate of a company can rest in the hands of a financial analyst, a fact that does not escape the attention of these over-worked professionals. Since financial analysts are often salaried or on retention, they don’t get to clock out a certain time; they’re paid when the job is done.
Well-rested: Writers
Writers can often work from home, meaning they don’t need to wake up early for a long commute. Furthermore, since writers are typically paid per-project (whether that’s a book or an article), they don’t feel the stress of clocking in nine hours a day.
Exhausted: TV political analysts
Political analysts who debate on the evening news have a rather tumultuous job; when they aren’t being yelled at by their debate partner, they’re up late studying materials to prepare for the next day’s discussion
Well-rested: Landscapers
Landscapers rarely have a boss looking over their shoulder the way an office worker does, which can relieve some of the stress that keeps one up at night. Furthermore, this profession gets to spend time outdoors, which has calming effects on the brain.
Exhausted: Social workers
Social workers usually have one personality trait that can keep a person up at night; they are extremely empathetic. It’s difficult to sleep after witnessing the hardship of others throughout the day.