What is melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. Normally, your body makes more melatonin at night. Levels usually start to go up in the evening once the sun sets. They drop in the morning when the sun goes up. The amount of light you get each…
Napping at work is not allowed in many organisations and yet tired or fatigued employees can have a significant effect in the workplace, reducing both safety and productivity. What is a Power Nap? A power nap is a short sleep that ends before you go into deep sleep (slow-wave sleep; SWS); it is intended to quickly…
Many industries rely on workers being physically and mentally alert however workplace fatigue is on the rise as people work longer hours often under increasingly difficult conditions and stress brought about by COVID-19. This article explores common causes of fatigue and offers key recommendations for managers and staff. What is fatigue? Fatigue is a state…
Finding the best roster to fit your organisation can be tricky. Typically managers hope for a lean roster, staff want time off whilst health and safety professionals want a fatigue safe roster. Common questions are; how long should the shift be, should a roster pattern rotate backwards or forwards, if doing 12 hour shifts should…
Breathing Exercise to De-Stress There are many breathing exercises you can do which can help you to relax and de-stress, but also improve your lung function, particularly if you’ve suffered from a recent respiratory illness. Equally if you play regular sport, improved lung capacity will benefit your exercise tolerance. In short, breathing exercises can benefit everyone…
Did you know we have seven senses? While most people are familiar with sight, touch, taste, sound and smell, two further senses – vestibular and proprioception – round out the way we process the world around us. Using these senses to help calm us is known as sensory modulation. Focusing on certain senses while trying…
There is not a shiftworker on the planet who has not had trouble sleeping and tried to sort the problems out themselves. They have tried diets, relaxation techniques, calming through the senses, pills, herbs, black out curtains and more. By trying all these strategies many have become highly knowledgeable about sleep strategies and have been helping…
Are you thinking about starting a fitness programme? Here are four steps to get started and a free information leaflet about gold standard exercise recommendations for health. Starting a fitness programme may be one of the best things you can do for your health. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your…
The humble stretch can help calm the mind, reduce tension headaches, improve posture, reduce body aches, increase blood flow to your muscles and increase flexibility. To help us understand how to stretch Graeme Saxby from Peace and Performance Osteopathy, has produced a short video of humble stretches that anyone can use. He shows us simple…
Since lockdown in New Zealand on 26th March 2020 many shiftworkers are now working longer and harder than ever to keep our essential services going. For that we are all truly grateful. The cost for many however, is increased worry, anxiety and fatigue. This may be due to additional work demands, working from home, uncertainty…