Meditation and Mindfulness – Countdown to World Sleep Day
Meditation and mindfulness can help us to relax, and reduce intrusive thoughts that can get in the way of sleep. While these practices are not specifically designed to improve sleep, it can be a beneficial side effect. One simple definition of mindfulness is ‘being present in the moment’, while a...Read more
Napping – Countdown to World Sleep Day
The only solution to sleep loss is sleep, so when you’re really struggling napping can be the answer. What type of nap is ‘best’ depends on the situation that you find yourself in. Afternoon naps are easiest during the ‘after-lunch dip’ or 'siesta window', which is a natural drop in our...Read more
Caffeine – Countdown to World Sleep Day
Things to know about the world’s favourite performance enhancing substance. Caffeine helps by improving performance when alertness is low. It helps us overcome the after-lunch dip (caused by our body clock, not by eating!) Usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes to become effective. Effects last in our bodies for...Read more
New Regulations for Air Traffic Services applicable by 2020.
EASA is bringing in new regulations to meet the ICAO SARPs that become applicable in January 2020. ANSPs will have to ensure that they are managing controller fatigue, and it should not be underestimated how long it can take to do this properly. EASA will require all operators to build their...Read more
Sleep Well in Seattle 4 – Re-adapting to your home time zone
Our Research Director, Alex Holmes is excited to be in Seattle today for IASS 2018 with our Aviation Safety training and consulting colleagues from Baines Simmons . If, like Alex and the rest of the team there, you're 8 hours out of sync with jetlag, we offer some advice on...Read more
Sleep Well in Seattle 3 – sleep and alertness strategies to cope with jet lag
Sleep promoting strategies Consolidated sleep, whereby one sleep bout (e.g. seven to eight hours) at night is obtained during a 24-hour cycle, is preferable particularly for maintaining alertness during the day. To help you get a good night’s sleep, it is important that you sleep in an environment that is...Read more
Watches, clocks and body clocks!
Clock changes can disrupt our circadian rhythm, in terms of its timing e.g. when peaks and lows occur in the 24h cycle of hormones such as melatonin (the sleep hormone) that help regulate our sleep/wake cycle. With the clock change, it’s darker earlier in the evening. This in turn can...Read more
Causal link between insomnia and depression
With the focus on World Mental Health day today, we wanted to highlight findings from the research community over recent years that shows a very strong link between insomnia and sleep disturbances and depression. A BMC Public Health study has also shown that there is an association between the length...Read more
CASA publishes modernisation of Australia’s fatigue rules
Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has published updated fatigue management rules in response to independent review. There will be a staged transition to the new rules with high capacity regular public transport operators required to transition to new fatigue rules by 30 September 2019 and all other air operators needing...Read more
Napping – Do’s and Don’ts
With the arrival of World Sleep Day on 16th March, our fatigue risk management experts at Clockwork Research say that napping done right is good for the brain and your work performance! But are you using the correct napping techniques? While a short nap at work cannot reverse severe sleep debt,...Read more