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…
Fiona Johnston, occupational therapist will discuss the benefits of a good sleep, common sleep problems and how to improve the quality and quantity of sleep without using medication.
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…
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…
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…
Te Whare Tapa Whā is a well known Maori model of health that has been used across a variety of sectors (i.e health, education and justice) It compares health to the four walls of a house where all four walls are necessary to ensure strength and symmetry. This blog explores how this model can help…
Have you ever wondered if there is a perfect roster? Fiona Johnston will be available to discuss this and answer questions about how to scientifically predict fatigue, shift patterns, on call and how to assess the quality of your roster.