Recharge, Renew, Refresh

I have been applying another word that begins with R this past year. It is Release and I have been releasing pounds, possessions, and practices. Perhaps releasing some of our current practices and habits can improve our fatigue management in the New Year. For example, I no longer eat food served through a drive-through window. That “release” helped me lose weight and improve the quality of food I eat. Could releasing something be helpful for you as an individual or as an organization?

If you look at the January calendar page or the drawing below, notice that the emphasis is on four fatigue countermeasures that are also necessary for general health and fitness. Use this month to set at least one goal in each area that  will enable you to recharge your energy, renew your health, and refresh  your outlook.

Why not choose one of these three learning opportunities to begin the New Year?

1. There was a recent series on the National Geographic Channel titled “Sleepless in America.”  The two overarching themes are:
   • Everyone is tired; no one gets enough sleep.
   • Chronic sleep deprivation could have irreparable damage to  your health.

   Check out the National Geographic Channel website for videos and other useful information from the series.

2. If you have been looking for a training course about shiftwork and fatigue, Work Safe Alberta has a free online course at http://work.alberta.ca/elearning/Shiftwork/.  The course takes about 30 minutes and is a useful introduction to the basics of shiftwork and its effects.
3. I purchased a booklet from Harvard Medical School.  The title is Improving Sleep: A Guide to a Good Night’s Rest.It is available for purchase for $20 and download at Harvard Health Publications.