Managing Fatigue

Recommendations for Managing Fatigue
This document has been reviewed by Actsafe ' s Motion Picture Standing Committee and approved for distribution to British Columbia ' s motion picture and television industry . For more information on occupational health and safety in the industry please visit www . actsafe . ca .
Humans are a day-oriented species and when we challenge that by working late into the night , there can be consequences .
The following recommendations will help you overcome those challenges and by doing so ;
- Increase your personal health and safety - Improve your family and social life - Improve work performance - Decrease your risk for injuries and ill health - Decrease your risk for errors
Improving Quality of Sleep
In the motion picture industry you ’ ll be working into the night . It ’ s important that , when you get the opportunity to sleep , you maximize it and learn how to deal with the challenge of sleeping during the day . For example , exposure even to low level lighting can substantially affect our body rhythms and subsequent ability to sleep .
1 . Minimize your exposure to light during night work until after 5 am . On dayshift , crank up the lights or open the blinds for as much natural light as possible
2 . Allow sunlight to help get you home safely after the night shift ( avoid wearing sunglasses if possible )
3 . Sleep as soon as you get home from night work ; the longer you wait , the more your body temperature rises , telling you to wake up
4 . Ensure your sleep environment is as dark as possible using things such as black-out curtains or an eye mask ; for quality sleep any light while sleeping is bad light
5 . Get comfortable – invest in a good quality mattress . If you ’ re sharing a bed , ensure your mattress also minimizes motion transfer
6 . Use bedding appropriate to the season to help moderate body temperature
7 . Research shows that the optimal room temperature for the best sleep quality is between 18 - 20˚ C
8 . Ensure good air circulation
9 . On extremely hot days try sleeping in the basement or anywhere it is quieter , cooler , and darker than your regular bedroom
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