Mood & physical activity

Think about the last time you took a brisk walk. How did you feel afterwards? I bet you felt good! You don't have to wait for the good feeling physical activity brings. It starts right away - and then gets better. Studies have shown that regular physical activity reduces stress-related symptoms and decreases the risk…

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Top tips for management mental health

Putting it all together Depression, anxiety and stress are major risk factors of fatigue. The good news is that they are all treatable conditions and many people overcome mood disorders through proactive management. However, there is no quick fix. Treatment of mood disorders often takes time and includes a combination of techniques to manage the……

Why is fatigue a problem?

The consequences of fatigue are unpredictable. They can range in severity and should not be taken lightly. The simple act of falling asleep may result in something as harmless as lost production, but it could also cause an accident or catastrophic event, whereby you may injure or kill yourself and/or others! Fatigue typically leads to……

Top 10 sleep tips

Poor sleep habits have often been reinforced over many years. The good news is that there are some common things you can do that will improve your sleep hygiene. Different things may work for different people. The main thing is to try not to worry about not getting enough sleep. The odd poor night’s sleep……

What can you do to manage fatigue?

Taking action against fatigue happens in two forms: 1) the action you take when you experience fatigue; and 2) the action you take to prevent fatigue and therefore become more fatigue resistant. Figure 1 below summarises the causes of fatigue and identifies the areas that need to be focused on to build fatigue resistance. Although……

What factors increase the risk of a fatigue-related incident?

The following factors have been found to increase the risk of fatigue-related incidents (e.g. lane crossings) and accidents By planning your journey more carefully, you are more likely to stay fresh and vigilant at the wheel, safeguarding your own safety and the safety of others. The strategies outlined in the Journey Planning Guiding Principles document……

Food quality and quantity

The quality and quantity of food you choose can make a huge difference to body weight. The difference between the two diets on the right is 5700kJ. Someone that eats 5700kJ more than another person will weigh 56 kilograms heavier or would have to walk 5 hours each day to burn this amount of energy……

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……

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……

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, the more chance you are of experiencing fatigue. The graph below shows that, as body weight increases above 86kg for an average height man, and……

Should burning fat kilojoules be my goal?

NO – burning energy whatever its source should be the major goal of exercise when trying to lose body fat. The reason is that 37,000 kilojoules of energy equals one kilogram of fat. So if we eat an extra 37,000 kilojoules in a week we would gain a kilogram and if we eat 37,000 fewer……