Police officers have been issued with specialist advice on light, noise, nutrition, relaxation and breathing to help them get better sleep.<\/p>\n
Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service, has published guidance entitled \u2018How to get better sleep after a night shift\u2019, which is full of practical and actionable advice.<\/p>\n
Sleeping after a night shift can be difficult because shift work disrupts the body\u2019s natural sleep-wake cycle. The key is for officers to adjust their routine so it better matches their working hours.<\/p>\n
The advice suggests managing light by increasing light exposure at the beginning of a shift and reducing light at the end. And it provides advice on how to create the right conditions for sleep; including reducing noise, practising relaxation exercises and finding ways to unwind, as well as nutrition advice like starting the day with a protein-rich meal.<\/p>\n
Steve Kent, South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair, said this was an important piece of work and that he supported officers learning how to improve their rest time.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI worked shifts for 17 years and I quite liked them, but I know they can be very challenging and can have implications for health.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople don\u2019t always realise the health impacts they have until they stop doing shifts, so it\u2019s really important that officers do get their rest properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
To access the toolkit, go to: https:\/\/oscarkilo.org.uk\/news\/how-sleep-better-after-night-shift<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n