The Hidden Cost of Sleep Deprivation in Public Safety Artwork

Truly Mental

This podcast has been created by Joe Smarro & Jesse Trevino and it is being provided by SolutionPoint+, a national training and consulting firm that specializes in cultivating mental wellness to maximize human capital and promote safety. They are two combat veteran marines, who have been on a shared journey as best friends for the last 20+ years. Joe and Jesse were both San Antonio Police officers for 15 and 10 years, respectively, and have started a training and consulting firm which is now their full-time endeavor. They have set out on a mission to change the culture of law enforcement in America by focusing on individual wellness. They hope to eradicate first responder suicide. Welcome to the podcast, please subscribe, share, and leave comments for them both. BeWell -

All Episodes

Truly Mental

The Hidden Cost of Sleep Deprivation in Public Safety

March 17, 2026 • Joe & Jesse

0:00 | 53:12

Explore the critical importance of sleep science in public safety, decision-making, and bias reduction with Dr. Lois James. Discover how fatigue impacts brain function, bias, and performance, and learn practical strategies for improving sleep and mental health in high-stakes professions.

*This episode was sponsored and made possible by MILO Range

Dr. Lois James: LinkedIn

MILO Range Website

CBTsim Website

Keywords:
sleep science, public safety, fatigue, decision-making, bias, mental health, shift work, wearable tech, sleep hygiene, on-duty napping

Key topics:

Impact of sleep deprivation on brain function and decision-making
The relationship between fatigue, bias, and implicit bias in policing
Practical strategies for improving sleep hygiene and shift work management
The role of wearable tech and biofeedback in sleep monitoring
The importance of on-duty napping and shift rotation policies

Sound bites:

"Most of us in public safety are running on empty."
"Sleep is the foundation of health and decision-making."
"Value yourself enough to pursue better sleep and self-care."

Chapters:

00:00 The Importance of Sleep in Public Safety
04:45 Understanding Sleep Deprivation and Its Effects
10:39 The Role of Wearable Tech in Sleep Monitoring
12:08 Societal Attitudes Towards Sleep
13:07 The Science of Sleep Deprivation in Critical Situations
17:02 Shared Responsibility for Sleep Health
20:25 Fatigue, Bias, and Decision Making
30:15 Understanding Bias and Responsibility
31:43 The Importance of Empathy in Training
33:13 Navigating Shift Work in Emergency Services
34:37 Individual Strategies for Managing Shift Work
38:53 Sleep's Role in Mental Health
39:39 Key Factors Affecting Sleep Quality
43:37 The Case for On-Duty Napping
47:26 Rewiring Beliefs About Human Performance

Resources:

Implicit Association Test (IAT)