October Health – 2025 Report

Sleep in Namibia

Economic insecurity and poverty-related stress is the leading population-level driver of sleep stress in Namibia, often compounded by heat and unstable electricity (load shedding) that disrupts sleep across communities. For workplaces, offer flexible schedules and access to digital mental health support (e.g., October sessions) to help employees cope.

Sleep Prevalence
27.33%
Affected people
15,031,500

Impact on the people of Namibia

Effects of high sleep stress on health and personal life

  • Physical health: Chronic sleep debt or poor sleep quality can cause fatigue, weaken immune function, raise blood pressure, and increase risk of obesity and metabolic issues.

  • Mental health and cognition: More irritability and mood swings, higher anxiety or depressive symptoms, and impaired memory, concentration, and decision-making.

  • Daytime functioning: Increased daytime sleepiness, slower reaction times, more mistakes, and higher risk of accidents.

  • Relationships and personal life: Greater conflict with partners/family, reduced emotional availability, and less energy for parenting or social activities.

  • Work and productivity: Lower productivity, higher burnout, and more sick days or presenteeism at work.

Tips to mitigate sleep stress (Namibia-focused)

  • Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and wind-down routine, even on weekends.
  • Create a cool, dark, quiet sleep environment; use fans or blackout curtains as needed.
  • Limit caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime; reduce screen time before bed.
  • Seek workplace support or digital programs (e.g., October) for sleep-focused guidance and group sessions.

Impact on the Namibia Economy

  • Reduced productivity and cognitive functioning due to chronic sleep stress, lowering output per worker.
  • Increased risk of mistakes and accidents in safety-sensitive industries (e.g., mining, transport), raising costs.
  • Higher healthcare and mental health treatment costs, plus potential disability claims.
  • More absenteeism and presenteeism, shrinking available labor hours while workers are present but not fully productive.
  • Negative impact on long-term economic growth and human capital, especially in Namibia’s key sectors like mining, agriculture, and tourism.

Workplace sleep health programs can help; digital options such as October's sleep-focused group sessions, assessments, and content can support Namibian companies.

What can government do to assist?

Sleep stress reduction: country-level actions for Namibia

  • Reliable energy and cooling to prevent heat-related sleep disruption

    • Improve grid stability; subsidize affordable cooling options; have contingency plans to reduce nightly outages.
  • Sleep-friendly work and school policies

    • Enforce reasonable working hours and mandated rest periods; support flexible or rotated shifts; consider later school start times for adolescents.
  • Quiet by night: noise, light, and safety

    • Enforce nighttime noise limits; reduce light pollution through shielding and smart lighting; encourage safe, well-lit neighborhoods.
  • Accessible sleep health services and education

    • Fund sleep clinics and CBT-I programs; run public sleep hygiene campaigns; use digital tools (e.g., October) for group sleep-support sessions where available.
  • Address social determinants and mental health

    • Strengthen housing security, water access, and crime prevention; integrate mental health support to reduce population-level stress.

What can businesses do to assist their employees?

  • Predictable workloads and flexible scheduling: balance deadlines, avoid chronic overtime, offer flexible start/finish times or staggered shifts to reduce sleep disruption.
  • After-hours norms to protect sleep: limit after-hours emails/meetings, establish a digital sunset, and discourage non-urgent communications outside work hours.
  • Sleep health education and skills: provide short trainings on sleep hygiene, caffeine timing, wind-down routines, and basics of CBT-I or relaxation techniques.
  • Sleep-friendly work environment: ensure comfortable climate control (cool, well-ventilated spaces), quiet areas or nap-friendly rooms, and minimize disruptive noise or late-day notifications.
  • Easy access to mental health support: offer employee assistance programs and digital resources (e.g., October) with group sessions, assessments, and content on sleep, anxiety, and stress management.