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The View from the Main deck looking forward.Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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Night Shifts & Aviation
Do you work at times other than the usual "nine to five" business day? If so, you are among the hundreds of shift workers in Indian Aviation. You may work when most people are asleep and attempt to sleep when the rest of the world is awake.
Its been a long Twelve plus years of Night shifts at Blue Dart aviation Mumbai for me & I have often wondered how I can make my work better. I have seen staff at Work struggle to cope up with night shift,some taking ill & some reducing weight drastically.Some persons due no back up are on call Six nights a week & cannot move out of the city,as a call could arrive anytime,this leads to stress of a very high level.
But a Job is a Job & someone has to do it.When shifts fall during the night [2300hrs to 0800hrs], the worker is fighting the natural wake-sleep pattern. It may be hard to stay alert at night and just as hard to fall asleep and stay asleep during the day. Night workers get less sleep than daytime workers do.
Rest helps restore and rejuvenate the brain and organ systems so that they function properly. Chronic lack of sleep harms a person's health, on-the-job safety, task performance, memory and mood
Sleep is needed by all animals - even plants appear to have rest periods.For humans, the desire to sleep is strongest between midnight and 0600 hrs.It is not surprising that 10- 20% of night shift workers report falling asleep on the job, usually during the second half of the shift. That's why shift workers who work all night may find it difficult to sleep during the day, even though they are tired.
When sleep deprived, people think and move more slowly, make more mistakes, and have difficulty remembering things. These negative effects lead to lower job productivity and can cause accidents.
Lack of sleep is associated with irritability, impatience, anxiety, and depression. These problems can upset job and family relationships, spoil social activities, and cause unnecessary suffering.Shift workers experience more stomach problems (especially heartburn and indigestion),colds, flu, and abnormal weight gain/loss than day workers. Heart problems are more likely too, along with higher blood pressure. The risk of workplace and automobile accidents rises for tired shift workers, especially on the drive to and from work.
Want a better rest after a night shift Try the following:
• Consume less or no caffeine and avoid alcohol.
• Drink less fluids before going to sleep.
• Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime.
• Avoid nicotine.
• Exercise regularly, but do so in the daytime, preferably after noon.
• Try a relaxing routine, like soaking in hot water before bedtime.
• Establish a regular bedtime and waketime schedule.
• Keep a sleep diary before and after you try these tips. If the quality of your sleep does not improve, share this diary with your doctor
• Take a warm bath or soak in a hot tub.
• Lower the room temperature (a cool environment improves sleep).
• Don't "activate" your brain by doing other stressful activitie.
• Darken the bedroom and bathroom.
• Install light blocking and sound absorbing curtains or shades.
• Wear ear plugs.
• Use a white noise machine, like a fan, to block other noises.
• Install carpeting and drapes to absorb sound.
• Unplug the telephone,put the cell phone off/silent mode.
• Avoid caffeine less than five hours before bedtime.
• Don't stop for a drink after work; although at first you may feel relaxed, alcohol disturbs sleep.
• Eat a light snack before bedtime. Don't go to bed too full or too hungry.
Exercise is alerting and raises the body temperature, it should not be done too close to bedtime
The shift worker faces special problems in trying to maintain family relationships and social and community ties. It becomes difficult to balance work, sleep and personal time. The need to sleep during the day (or, for the evening worker, to be on the job during the dinner hour and the family-oriented part of the day) means that the shift worker often misses out on family activities, entertainment, and other social interaction
Driving home after work can be risky for the shift worker, particularly since you have been awake all night and the body needs to sleep. If you are sleepy when your shift is over, try to take a nap before driving home
Inadequate sleep increases your risk for falling asleep at the wheel, accidents on the job, and problems at home.
Workers driving Tractors/Vans on the Tarmac & positioning Ground support Equipment like main Deck loaders near aircraft need to be more alert.
To ignore signals such as yawning, frequent blinking, a sense of tiredness or a failure to make routine safety checks may put you and others at risk. If you feel sleepy or drowsy, stop your work as soon as safely possible. Contact your supervisor and request a break or nap, or have a caffeinated product in order to help increase alertness. Remember, caffeine is not a long-term substitute for sleep.
At Blue Dart Aviation, night shift is a very serious job & is very well understood that if not handled well can lead to serious medical problems or serious injuries at work.
Hence its Important to Eat well,sleep well & Exercise well.
Regds
MEL
Do you work at times other than the usual "nine to five" business day? If so, you are among the hundreds of shift workers in Indian Aviation. You may work when most people are asleep and attempt to sleep when the rest of the world is awake.
Its been a long Twelve plus years of Night shifts at Blue Dart aviation Mumbai for me & I have often wondered how I can make my work better. I have seen staff at Work struggle to cope up with night shift,some taking ill & some reducing weight drastically.Some persons due no back up are on call Six nights a week & cannot move out of the city,as a call could arrive anytime,this leads to stress of a very high level.
But a Job is a Job & someone has to do it.When shifts fall during the night [2300hrs to 0800hrs], the worker is fighting the natural wake-sleep pattern. It may be hard to stay alert at night and just as hard to fall asleep and stay asleep during the day. Night workers get less sleep than daytime workers do.
Rest helps restore and rejuvenate the brain and organ systems so that they function properly. Chronic lack of sleep harms a person's health, on-the-job safety, task performance, memory and mood
Sleep is needed by all animals - even plants appear to have rest periods.For humans, the desire to sleep is strongest between midnight and 0600 hrs.It is not surprising that 10- 20% of night shift workers report falling asleep on the job, usually during the second half of the shift. That's why shift workers who work all night may find it difficult to sleep during the day, even though they are tired.
When sleep deprived, people think and move more slowly, make more mistakes, and have difficulty remembering things. These negative effects lead to lower job productivity and can cause accidents.
Lack of sleep is associated with irritability, impatience, anxiety, and depression. These problems can upset job and family relationships, spoil social activities, and cause unnecessary suffering.Shift workers experience more stomach problems (especially heartburn and indigestion),colds, flu, and abnormal weight gain/loss than day workers. Heart problems are more likely too, along with higher blood pressure. The risk of workplace and automobile accidents rises for tired shift workers, especially on the drive to and from work.
Want a better rest after a night shift Try the following:
• Consume less or no caffeine and avoid alcohol.
• Drink less fluids before going to sleep.
• Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime.
• Avoid nicotine.
• Exercise regularly, but do so in the daytime, preferably after noon.
• Try a relaxing routine, like soaking in hot water before bedtime.
• Establish a regular bedtime and waketime schedule.
• Keep a sleep diary before and after you try these tips. If the quality of your sleep does not improve, share this diary with your doctor
• Take a warm bath or soak in a hot tub.
• Lower the room temperature (a cool environment improves sleep).
• Don't "activate" your brain by doing other stressful activitie.
• Darken the bedroom and bathroom.
• Install light blocking and sound absorbing curtains or shades.
• Wear ear plugs.
• Use a white noise machine, like a fan, to block other noises.
• Install carpeting and drapes to absorb sound.
• Unplug the telephone,put the cell phone off/silent mode.
• Avoid caffeine less than five hours before bedtime.
• Don't stop for a drink after work; although at first you may feel relaxed, alcohol disturbs sleep.
• Eat a light snack before bedtime. Don't go to bed too full or too hungry.
Exercise is alerting and raises the body temperature, it should not be done too close to bedtime
The shift worker faces special problems in trying to maintain family relationships and social and community ties. It becomes difficult to balance work, sleep and personal time. The need to sleep during the day (or, for the evening worker, to be on the job during the dinner hour and the family-oriented part of the day) means that the shift worker often misses out on family activities, entertainment, and other social interaction
Driving home after work can be risky for the shift worker, particularly since you have been awake all night and the body needs to sleep. If you are sleepy when your shift is over, try to take a nap before driving home
Inadequate sleep increases your risk for falling asleep at the wheel, accidents on the job, and problems at home.
Workers driving Tractors/Vans on the Tarmac & positioning Ground support Equipment like main Deck loaders near aircraft need to be more alert.
To ignore signals such as yawning, frequent blinking, a sense of tiredness or a failure to make routine safety checks may put you and others at risk. If you feel sleepy or drowsy, stop your work as soon as safely possible. Contact your supervisor and request a break or nap, or have a caffeinated product in order to help increase alertness. Remember, caffeine is not a long-term substitute for sleep.
At Blue Dart Aviation, night shift is a very serious job & is very well understood that if not handled well can lead to serious medical problems or serious injuries at work.
Hence its Important to Eat well,sleep well & Exercise well.
Regds
MEL
Sunday, August 10, 2008
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