Health, Diet & Sleep
These are a very important factor in stress awareness and management and should not be overlooked. By the nature of the job we do, we need to be more careful about our diets and sleep patterns as they put strain on our organs leading to stress reactions. For example: we are grumpy on nights and quick changeovers because of the lack of sleep, its because when we
are tired, it is difficult to cope mentally and physically and we become irritable and even depressed. Lack of sleep causes stress, when you have inadequate sleep or rest, for whatever reasons, the body reacts by causing insomnia!!! This is where help is needed in one way or another.
Why is sleep so important?
When we sleep we go through several stages, these are the stages we go through to sleep well. It takes less than an hour to reach a deep sleep, where it is difficult to be woken. We then go rapidly to what is REM sleep; this is where we remember our dreams. Whenever we wake in the night it is believed the process starts again. It is all doing with brain waves, we all dream, but not always remember them.
During the day, hormones are used up. While we sleep new hormones are produced by the endocrine system in the brain. Among these is somatotropin, a substance released during sleep. Researchers have a theory that sleep may be a time when the growth of some kind of cells speed up and the body purges itself of the chemical by products accumulated during the waking hours. The regrowth of certain cells include amino acids, which bolster the immune system. We know that sleep helps fight illness and infection, and that when we are run down we are susceptible to colds and flu.
The amount of sleep depends on the individual- some people manage of 5 hours and others are miserable if they have slept for 8 hours. As we have discussed sleeplessness can alsoindicate stress. Regular sound sleep is a prerequisite for good health and well being. Although sometimes with shifts it is not easy, here are some guidelines to follow.
- Prior to going to bed, clear your mind and resolve any issues
you have. - Establish a routine of sorts for going to bed.
- Avoid stimulants before going to bed. Herbal teas are
excellent. - Make sure the bed is comfortable
- Exercise regularly, evidence shows that regular exercise aids
sleep. - Stop smoking â nicotine is a stimulant
- If you can not sleep, get up- don’t lay and brood. Get up
watch TV, read or have a cup of herbal tea which induces
sleep.
In conclusion Adequate sleep is important for good health and the prevention of stress.
