How sleep works
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……
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……
The impacts on circadian rhythm and melatonin production in visually impaired people
Light is captured through photoreceptors in the eyes which transmit this to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), or internal body clock, via a dedicated neural pathway. Each day the light-dark cycle……
Optimising sleep for night shift
In a 2018 article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2018;360:j5637 doi: 10.1136/bmj.j5637 [Published 1 March 2018]) the topic of optimsing sleep for night shift was covered with the aim……
An introduction to sleep
Sleep is common throughout the animal kingdom. We do know there is still a lot to be leaned about sleep, despite considerable research. All animals require sleep and no permanent……
What causes fatigue?
Fatigue is caused by a range of different factors. It is usually not just one factor but a combination of factors that will explain someone’s fatigue. Being able to characterise……
Energy requirements & fatigue
Eating too much food will provide more energy than we need for metabolic and activity needs, leaving the extra energy stores as body fat (weight). The greater your body weight,……
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……
How much sleep do you need?
The amount of sleep that people require varies between individuals depending on many factors. Age is a major determinant of the quantity of sleep. The table below provides a general……
When will fatigue occur?
The time of day affects fatigue, due mainly to the body’s circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are natural body rhythms that are driven by the cycle of day and night. The……