“A healthy mind in A healthy body” – I am the author of my own
health or disease.
Sleep and Rest
Rest and you can travel further …. A Chinese Proverb
Shift work may make people dumber….MYPAPER, 5th Nov 2014.
According to the research paper, “…..exposure to shift work that exceeding 10 years, will suffered an
additional 6.5 years of age-related decline”
Life can be so
difficult to adjust to normalcy when I am been subjected to a frequent shift
duty change alternating between AM and
PM shift. Recently, I was on a 6 days of PM shift duty, followed by one day of
rest; and then done 2 days of AM shift duty; one day of the rest; and
contiguously followed by another 6 days of PM shift duty. I guess, this type of
duty roster, must be putting a lot of stress and strain into my body and mind.
The
biological body needs to regenerate and remove body wastes and toxin. One
natural way for the body to do this process of elimination is during our
sleeping hours!
Previously, while
still gainfully engaged in engineering stuff; as a routine, I used to be in bed
around 2200hr and wake up around 0545hr daily. That will give me some 7 to 8 of
rest and sleep. Unfortunately, when I
am on PM Shift duty as Bus Captain; at most, I just manage to get 4 hours of uninterrupted rest
and sleep. Eye bag will show up due to lacking in sleep and rest whenever I am
on PM shift. Fortunately, when I am on AM shift, I still manage to get some 6 hours of rest and sleep.
Sleep is necessary for
maintaining and sustaining a person’s health and mental wellbeing. Sign and
symptom for lacking of sleep and rest is that; I will become very
grouchy and started to nag and pick up a fight with my wife and sons by
complaining every little thing that my eyes can lay on. I got very easily
irritated and annoyed; and at time temper will flare up.
Furthermore, when I am on PM Shift
duty, the opportunity time available for me to engage my family is very limited. I
will start to complaint to my family members, why they ignore me and do not
care or engage or talk me.
Now, I started to fear for my health and mentally wellbeing; To further survive
in this industry for another 2 more years (as per my pre-retirement, 3a plan);
I now have to look for a partner BC (bus captain); that can help me to do PM
Shift Duty permanently, and I will do AM Shift duty.
The tradition in this
industry is that, for those whom wish to work on AM Shift duty permanently, as
a token of goodwill, will have to compensate the BC for working PM Shift duty
permanently. This is usually in the form of out of personal pocket expenses.
Since Health is certainly Wealth;
with joy and gratitude, I have decided to give away an angpow of RM200/- per month to my
partner.
The Shiftwork can be adjusted or twitch & fine-tuned for the betterment of all. Permanent single shift is good, whether AM, PM Or Split, but due to operational requirements, there is no one-size-fit-all solution.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest during the interim, if not too interrupting in the roster, AN ADDTIONAL DAY OF REST be included for the change-over from PM shift to AM shift. At least, this EXTRA DAY OF REST gives the body clock more time to flip over/to adjust to the next cycle of work rotation, which is primarily for the safety of patrons travelling on the buses. What do you think?