Building fatigue resilient workplaces
Napping
Effective napping is a skill, which cannot be achieved by everyone. Napping cannot replace sleep, but can assist in times of sleep debt, extreme tiredness and/or when heightened alertness is required for your safety, such as driving a car. Naps may improve subsequent performance and alertness for a period of time, ranging from 2 to……
I don’t have enough time to exercise?
I am too busy at work and my work hours are too long. Despite advances in technology, many of us still spend more – rather than less – time at work. However, there are ways in which you can be more active: Go for a walk in your lunch break – your afternoons will be……
Managing mental health and fatigue
When trying to establish the cause of an individual’s fatigue, it is easy to get caught up in the end point, or symptoms, of fatigue. However, start digging a little deeper and you may be able to identify the factors causing fatigue. Once we determine the underlying causes of fatigue, we are better able to……
Meal type and fatigue
It is often promoted that foods high in carbohydrate make you drowsy because they increase the uptake of the amino acid tryptophan by the brain. Tryptophan is a chemical that can work together with another important brain chemical called serotonin, to help promote a calming effect and sleepiness. Foods rich in protein, however, increase production……
Managing stress and Fatigue
Stress is something that has been with us for a long time. Even though the cause of our stress has changed, the response in the mind and body has remained the same. When stressed or in danger, the body engages its “fight or flight” response. This response evolved in ancient times when stressors were often……
10 nutrition tips to beat fatigue
Eat breakfast based on breads, cereals low fat dairy and fruit. Pack a lunchbox with snack including at least 2 pieces of fruit. Portion dinner plate correctly with half the plate coloured vegetables, ¼ the plate potato, rice, pasta or bread; and palm size portion of meat. Eat to be comfortably satisfied not full to……
When should I sleep?
Our levels of alertness and attention are influenced by our circadian rhythms, as shown in the figure below. Circadian rhythms allow us to feel more alert during the day and less alert during the evening. This is the primary reason it is difficult to stay awake at night and why we may struggle to sleep……
Is shift work detrimental to health?
There is a body of evidence that supports the statement that shift work can detrimentally impact on health, as well as, other factors that impact on human wellbeing and safety (i.e. alertness, fatigue, cognitive performance). It concludes, “that we have sufficient knowledge to conclude that shift work may indeed have detrimental consequences for health, despite……
How hard do I need to exercise to burn fat?
This is probably one of the most common questions people ask about exercise and weight loss; and the most poorly understood. The answer to this question comes down to the intensity and time you spend exercising. We burn two fuels simultaneously, carbohydrate and fat. However, the proportion of each that we burn varies depending on……
Smoking and sleep
Nicotine can hamper a person’s ability to fall asleep or get good quality sleep. Studies have shown that the average smoker gets 30 minutes less sleep compared to non-smokers. Trouble getting to sleep after a cigarette is likely due to the stimulatory effect of nicotine. Nicotine withdrawal during later sleep periods may also affect sleep……