VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2015
A SLICE OF ORANGE Refreshing Your Health
WHAT’S YOUR 2015 SHIFT? • The three secrets to good sleep • Time in • Time out • Daysleeper
What’s your 2015 shift? A NEW YEAR, A NEW SHIFT? WHETHER IT’S AM, PM, OR GRAVEYARD, HOW CAN YOU EASE YOURSELF INTO A NEW CIRCADIAN RHYTHM? Good sleep is one of the cornerstones of good health. However, today’s work demands and shift work can take their toll on your shut-eye. The main problem with shift work is the altered sleep pattern. And with poor sleep comes not only poor health,
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but also poor work productivity. On the other hand, the opposite is also true. If you are able to sleep well, both in quality and quantity, shift work becomes a breeze.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
THE THREE SECRETS TO
VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2015
TIME IN
GOOD SLEEP
• Know your coffee. Coffee is not just caffeine, but other substances and essential oils
The key to maximal alertness at work and
as well. Different types or brands of coffee
For you to feel the refreshing effects of sleep,
better sleep at home starts when you time
have different effects on different people.
regardless of what shift you have, you need
in at work. Here are some tips to help you
Notice which ones make you awake, which
three things. These are:
achieve 100% at work and prepare yourself
ones make you agitated, and which ones
for 100% sleep later on.
make you sleepy (yes, sleepy. This happens,
Sleep quantity – your body needs
• Keep your workplace blue. Keeping your
strangely).
around 7 hours of sleep, in contrast to
cube well lit it important to reset your body
the 8 hours of sleep we were taught before.
clock and keep you alert. However, there is
Also, note that this number can go lower as
very little we can do to change the lighting
you grow older, up to only 5 hours when
in our office. To enhance the effect of light,
you reach your 70s.
surround yourself with the color blue. This
1 2
Sleep quality – your sleep needs to
color suppresses melatonin the most. Mela-
be as deep and continuous as pos-
tonin is the hormone that signals the brain to
sible, with little interruption.
3
sleep. Adding blue decors and other items
TIME OUT
Circadian rhythm – your body clock
near the screen of your computer can help
has to be adjusted to your new sleep-
suppress melatonin secretion.
• Follow the dark path. If you plan to sleep
ing pattern; otherwise, it will disturb your
• Time your coffee. We recommend that
once you get home, avoid sunlight or very
sleep quality and quantity.
you drink coffee at the start of your shift, or
bright lights as much as possible. This will
until halfway through it, to boost your alert-
make it easier for you to fall asleep once
Short of telling you to take sleeping pills, we
ness. But any dose of caffeine beyond this
you hit the pillow. Wear dark, wraparound
will outline how you can achieve all three,
halfway point will already disturb your sleep
sunglasses and a hat to shield yourself from
and how you can maintain alertness at
when you get home. Oh, and by the way,
sunlight. Also, it is a good idea to avoid
work, in proper sequence: from the time you
a glass of cola contains almost as much caf-
stopping for errands. As much as possible,
clock in, to the time you dose off.
feine as a small cup of coffee.
go home directly.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2015
• Snooze without the booze. After work,
• Silence, please. Is noise a problem? One
avoid alcohol. As with non-shift workers,
option is to get a white-noise generator mo-
alcohol disturbs sleep. It can make you
bile app. The white noise (like the static from
drowsy, but the sleep you get later on is dis-
the TV) can help block out sounds. Thick cur-
rupted, fragmented, and restless.
tains can also help to a degree.
• Two-hour drought. Avoid drinking any-
• Plug it up. Some people are also both-
thing 2 hours before bedtime. This will pre-
ered by the white noise. In these circum-
dose on melatonin—this can disturb sleep.
vent you from waking up in the middle of
stances, there are foam ear plugs available
One to two tablets taken 1 hour before
sleep to urinate.
in novelty stores and home improvement
sleeping is enough.
• Don’t drive. Driving sleepy is just as dan-
shops. These are usually sold with a sleep-
• Rise and shine. Invest on bright but non-
gerous as driving drunk. In contrast, taking
ing eye mask.
glaring lights, and turn them on as soon as
public transport allows you to sleep to and
• Put on a mask. Your eyelids are too thin
you wake up to stimulate wakefulness. From
from work.
to block out 100% of light. Sleeping eye
my experience, a 32-W fluorescent lamp or
masks are great, as it blocks the residual
an equivalent LED lamp is good enough for
light coming from the outside. At first, you
a 28-square meter room.
may be bothered by the sensation of some-
• Work it out. Exercise can help stimulate
When it’s time for bed, here are a few help-
thing on your face while sleeping, but you
wakefulness and alertness. It will also in-
ful hints to add depth, length, and quality to
will get used to it. Adjust the tension on the
crease your sleep depth, length, and qual-
your sleep:
mask bands for a comfortable fit.
ity. However, do this at the beginning of
• Retain a rhythm. Sleep and wake at the
• Hang up the drapes. Use heavy curtains
your day, and not at the end, when you are
same time every day, even on non-working
or drapes to block sunlight when you sleep
about to sleep. Exercise near bedtime can
days.
during the day. The darker the room, the bet-
overstimulate you and push sleep away.
• Do not disturb. Ask your family/house-
ter.
mates to limit phone calls and visitors during
• Melatonin matters. Take melatonin sup-
With all these tips, we wish you a good
your sleep hours. If you can, turn your mo-
plements before sleeping. This will help “re-
night’s/(day’s) sleep, and a Happy New
bile phone to silent.
set” your internal body clock. Do not over
Year!
DAYSLEEPER
ActiveLink is an employee benefits management firm focused on corporate healthcare benefits. Our thrusts are to deliver a cost-efficient HMO plan and to ensure successful implementation through excellent customer service support and the use of our benefits portal (www.benefitsmadebetter.com). CONTACT US TODAY! Email us at inquiries@activelinkbenefits.com or call us at 8174606, and let us know when we can share our strategy. Let us help you make your benefits better!
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelinkbenefits.com. The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2015 ActiveLink
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A Slice of Orange
is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.
Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Ivan Olegario, MD