Tag Archives: stress in shift work

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Shift Work Stress and Job Loss – How It Can Turn Your Life Upside Down In An Instant.

Shift work stress is without a doubt, rife amongst shift workers throughout the world. But when you add job loss or the possibility of job loss into the equation, then it’s an entirely different ball game.

Now as an employee of Qantas, Australia’s national airline, I certainly became exposed to this type of uncertainty when our CEO decided to ground the entire fleet of aircraft due to ongoing industrial action.

And it goes without saying that it left all employees speechless – not to mentioned stressed and anxious about what was unfolding behind the scenes.

And having gone through a similar roller-coaster ride some 10 years ago when I lost my job with Austalia’s other airline, Ansett Australia, when it too became grounded but this time permanently, it would be fair to see that I am suitably “qualified” to know what job loss is all about, not to mention the stress that goes along with it.

You see apart from the death of a spouse or relative, job insecurity is regarded as one of the largest causes of stress. And given the uncertainty surrounding the recent grounding of the Qantas fleet, (and the somewhat stress and anxiety placed upon staff and customers alike) – I have to say that I felt the following quote was appropriate to share amongst my fellow shift working colleagues.

“Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” ~ Glenn Turner.

Of course this quote applies to all aspects of our lives.

And I’m not going to deny stress – in particular shift work stress is nothing to be concerned about.

It most certainly is.

In fact any type of stress can cause damage to our overall health and well-being – both physically and mentally.

But having been through the whole job loss saga before, don’t let shift work stress (or any type of stress for that matter) – define your life.

Even though I would not wish this upon anyone, if you do end up losing your job for some reason, sometimes it can end up being the best thing that ever happens to you as you are forced to do something completely different with your life.

As Alexander Graham Bell once said, “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

So just remember that every closed door (in this case a loss of a job), might end up being the catalyst towards an entirely different change in career for you. In fact it may end up being one which is more enjoyable and satisfying than the one that you’re in right now.

And that of course, is always going to be a good thing.

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Shift Work Stress – How Munching On A Stick of Celery Can Actually Help Calm You!

Do you have days when you experience shift work stress? When you just want to go home and close the front door, unplug the phone and go and hide in a closet for a few hours?

I don’t know about you but I’ve certainly had days like this.

As shift workers we are prone to experiencing stress. Just getting out of bed in the middle of the night is adding unwanted stress on our already fatigued bodies.

But stress every now and then is not a bad thing; in fact it can actually be a good thing. But if you are exposed to stress on a regular basis, then your adrenal system can become run down as it over produces the hormones which are designed to help.

This can in turn lead to nutritional deficiencies and an exhausted adrenal gland.

So besides quitting your job (which is probably quite tempting for a lot of people), what else can you do to help lower your stress levels?

Go and grab something to eat!

Now I don’t mean eat anything. I mean food that is rich in nutrients that will support your adrenal glands.

So, what foods are good for your adrenal glands?

1. Celery – contains nutrients that can help calm you and lower your blood pressure. In fact a stalk of celery before bedtime can actually improve your sleep! (Who ever would have thought of that?!)

2. Sunflower seeds – rich in Potassium and Vitamin B which play a critical role in the health of the adrenal glands. When you are stressed your levels of Potassium and Vitamin B plummet … so keep munching on those sunflower seeds.

3. Brown Rice – can help you deal with stress by lifting your mood as it helps trigger the release of the body’s feel good hormones – serotonin. It can also give you a burst of energy when you’re ready to fall in a heap from exhaustion.

4. Cabbage – an excellent stress-busting source due to its high Antioxidant content. Antioxidants fight the damaging effects of free radicals in your body which are released in response to stress.

5. Almonds – rich in Magnesium which when your levels are low, can be associated with nervous tension, anxiety, irritability and insomnia. (A good tip is to soak them overnight for easy digestion).

6. Berries – my favourite! Blackberries, strawberries and raspberries are rich in Manganese and Vitamin C. Insufficient Vitamin C can weaken your immune system and make you feel stressed and run down.

7. Sesame Seeds – Very high in Zinc which is brilliant as the need for zinc increases when you’re feeling stressed.

8. Cucumbers – Does the saying “cool as a cucumber” sound familiar? This is quite literally true because it helps cool the blood and the liver. When the liver is properly nourished and not overheated, it can help you to beat stress.

9. Garlic – well known for helping treat colds and flu, garlic contains a detoxifying chemical called Allicin which helps rid your body of toxins. So when you rid the amount of toxins circulating throughout your system, your body will feel less stressed and so will you!

and finally lucky last …

10. Avocados – contain a high content of Iron and Copper which aid in the regeneration of red blood cells and the prevention of anaemia – one very common cause of fatigue and the inability to cope effectively with stress.

So the next time you’re feeling stressed (if you’re working shift work then that’s pretty much all of the time), remember to take care of your adrenal glands by grabbing yourself a handful of stress reduction super foods.

You’ll thank that piece of celery when you start to feel a lot less frazzled!!