Managing Fatigue

Fatigue is the condition of being physically or mentally tired or exhausted. Extreme fatigue can lead to uncontrolled and involuntary shutdown of the brain.

Fortunately, there are ways to manage fatigue:

• Get eight hours of sleep before starting work.
• Sleep at the same time each day. If you have workers that rotate shifts, establish clockwise rotations (from day to evening to night). Clockwise rotating makes it easier to go to sleep when a worker goes to bed.
• Take all scheduled work breaks. A snack or exercise during the break will refresh you.
• If your shift requires you to sleep during the daytime, find a cool, dark, quiet location. Use earplugs, soft music, or a fan to block out noise.
• Eat a well-balanced diet beginning the “day” with high protein foods and ending with carbohydrates. Do not eat great quantities before bedtime; they may cause trouble sleeping.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes. These substances cause sleep disturbances.
• Walking, stretching, and aerobics can help a person stay awake. Exercise will give you stamina and help you to fall asleep later.
• Work carefully and methodically, always following proper procedures.