Fatigue in the workplace has been recognized as a major cause of accidents. In fact, an Australian study found that after being awake for 17 hours straight, a person’s reaction times can be just as impaired as someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.05 percent.
Fatigue is defined as a feeling of tiredness that comes from physical, mental or emotional exertion resulting in a state of reduced alertness or functioning.
Most people need about 8 hours of sleep a day. Here are some proven fatigue risk mitigation strategies to try:
- Start your day with a good breakfast that includes protein, complex carbohydrates, and good fats. Have a snack 2 to 3 hours later to stabilize blood sugar levels.
- Try to follow a regular meal pattern and keep lunches to a reasonable size as larger meals increase the urge to sleep.
- Stay hydrated by drinking 6 – 8 glasses of water a day.
- For extra energy, eat more protein.
- Get moving – go for a brisk walk and get some fresh air or stretch. Physical activity helps to combat those sleepy moments throughout our workday and improves our sleep quality.
- Learn to take 15 to 20 minute power naps. A power nap can return 2 hours of high productivity.
- Establish a regular sleep routine to get an adequate amount of sleep every night.
- Reduce caffeine intake at least 6 hours before going to bed.
- Avoid using electronics 30 minutes before going to bed, as the blue light emitted impacts the production of our sleep-wake cycle hormone (melatonin) and makes it difficult for us to fall asleep and wake up the next day.