Fatigue is a state of feeling very tired, exhausted, weary, or sleepy. Fatigue results from a lack of sleep and can be heightened from prolonged mental activity or long periods of stress or anxiety. Fatigue is one of the leading causes of injury at the workplace and at home. Operating mobile equipment while fatigued can be fatal to you and others and is as dangerous as operating while impaired due to drugs and alcohol.
When we become increasingly fatigued, our ability to plan ahead also diminishes. As our fatigue increases:
- Our risk for injury increases
- Our decision making process and reaction time slow down
- Our ability to process information and handle multiple tasks decreases
Recognizing Fatigue
It is important to be able to recognize the early signs of fatigue in ourselves as well as others so that we can take appropriate steps to mitigate the effects.
- Our eyes feel heavy and it becomes hard to focus
- Constant yawning
- Wandering disconnected thoughts
- Head nodding and muscles relaxing
Tips for Staying Alert
Listed below are tips and pointers to help get you through challenging times due to fatigue both on and off the job.
- Periodically rotate jobs – keep it fresh. When possible, set up a job rotation schedule if the work is mundane and not stimulating.
- Time the use of coffee and caffeinated drinks for when you need it. This might be midway through a typical night shift.
- Improve general wellness. This includes a balanced diet, plenty of fluids, regular exercise
- Prioritize sleep, especially on work days. You should target 7 hours and use naps to fill in the gaps when your sleep is reduced.