BODY WATCH : Effects of Sleeplessness, From A to Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Out of 1,000 adults surveyed for the Better Sleep Council:

* A third reported that sleeplessness affects their job performance. (The tab for workplace weariness is at least $15.8 billion in direct costs, according to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research.)

* 20% admit dozing at work, with men twice as likely.

* 30% do not feel rested when they wake up for work.

* 20% have called in sick or been late due to lack of sleep.

* 40% say working long hours sometimes keeps them from getting the sleep they need. (The Economic Policy Institute calculates that workers have added an extra month to their annual work and commute time since 1969.)

Launch Early Strike to Ward Off Fleas

Ten measly fleas can produce 90,000 eggs in 30 days in your home.

(Makes you want to scratch, huh?)

So veterinarians are advising pet owners to treat dogs and their environment in advance.

Start prevention methods three to six weeks before the weather normally approaches 70 degrees and humidity 50%, which is when fleas make serious whoopee.

Ask your veterinarian to suggest easy-to-apply insecticides with some staying power, such as permethrin-based products, which tend to work up to 28 days.

Use a flea and tick shampoo, followed by a cream rinse. Then apply an insecticide after proper drying.

Use a carpet spray for carpeted areas, upholstered furniture and pet bedding.

Spritz all cracks and crevices on the floor and under baseboards.

Spray the yard and kennel.

While you’re at it, clean up pine thatch and leaf piles--bugs’ favorite egg-laying spots.

As for those cats that will tear you to shreds at the mention of a home treatment, go to a veterinarian or pet groomer and pop for the flea dips.

Keep a Close Eye on Contact-Lens Hygiene

Somehow you confuse disposable contacts with dispensable hygiene when it comes to taking proper care of your lenses. These contacts require special care. Here are some tips to minimize problems.

* White dots indicate protein deposits. Disinfect lenses nightly if you are a daily wearer and discard every two weeks. If you wear contacts overnight, discard weekly.

* Check edges for tiny defects, a common problem with weekly disposable lenses. Chips along the edge may appear as scallops that can split or tear. If the disposable lens is torn in half while in the eye, you may have difficulty removing the pieces. See your doctor if this occurs.

* You should have follow-up visits with your eye doctor more frequently if you wear contact lenses overnight.

* This health roundup, compiled by C.A. Wedlan from wire service reports, appears in Life & Style on Tuesdays.