Taking Care of Yourself

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Taking Care of Yourself

• Byline Alyson J. Breisch, RN, MSN

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Short Survey
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Question 1

• What are your main concerns related to your work
  schedule and environment?
• Health issues?
• Social issues?

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Question 2

• What is your work schedule?
• Number of hours worked 8, 10, 12, more?
• Hours of the day worked?
• Steady schedule or rotating shifts?
• Regular or variable scheduled days off each week?

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Question 3

• What are your sleep habits?
• Length of uninterrupted sleep?
• Usual hours of day asleep?
• Change in pattern for days off?

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breaking news!
http//www.obesityinamerica.org
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Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985
(BMI 30, or 30 lbs overweight for 5 4
person)
No Data
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In 1995, obesity prevalence in each of the 50
states was less than 20 percent.
? No Data ?
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Obesity Trends Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2005
No Data 1519 2024 2529
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(BMI 30, or 30 lbs overweight for 5 4
person)
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Apple or PearShape matters!
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BMI Ranges
Refer to Handout for BMI table
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Extra weight can put you at higher risk for these
health problems

• type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)
• high blood pressure
• heart disease and stroke
• some types of cancer
• sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short
  periods during sleep)

• osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints)
• gallbladder disease
• liver disease
• irregular menstrual periods

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Most of us have sedentary jobs.  Work takes up a
significant part of the day.  What can you do to
increase your physical activity during the work
day?
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• The good news is that even moderate activity can
  help your heart and arteries stay in shape

Check with your physician if you have not been
exercising to be medically cleared before
starting an exercise program.
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Whats Cooking?Selecting foods for the work
setting
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• A Healthy Diet
• Fruits, vegetables, whole grains
• Fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products
• Lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts
• Low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol,
  salt, and added sugars

www.mypyramid.gov
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Spaghetti 20 Years ago Today
500 calories ??? Calories
Whats your answer? _ 600 cal. _ 800
cal. _ 1025 cal.
http//hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/portion/
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Cheeseburger 20 Years ago Today
333 calories ??? Calories
Whats your answer? _ 590 cal. _ 600
cal. _ 700 cal.
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French Fries 20 Years ago Today
210 calories ??? Calories
Whats your answer? _ 590cal. _ 610
cal. _ 650 cal.
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Portions and Servings

• Serving
• Unit of measure to describe the amount of food,
  i.e. ½ cup, recommended from each food group
• Amount listed on package or on food pyramid

• Portion
• Amount of specific food you choose to eat
• Can be larger or smaller than the recommended
  serving size (today most are larger than serving
  size)

Dont super-size your servings into portions
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One Serving Looks Like

• Grains
• 1 C. of cereal fist
• 1 pancake compact disc
• ½ C. pasta, rice, potato, ice cream ½
  baseball
• Vegetables and fruit
• 1 C. salad greens baseball
• ½ C. fresh fruit ½ baseball
• ¼ C. raisins 1 large egg
• Meat and Fats
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine 1 dice
• 3 oz. grilled/baked fish checkbook
• 3 oz. meat, fish, poultry deck of cards
• 2 Tbsp. Peanut butter ping pong ball

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Convenience and Portability

• Vending Machines
• Packed lunches
• Order-in
• Cafeteria
• Plan Ahead!
• Divide and conquer!
• Dine with a colleague

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Computer Work Station

• Ergonomics
• Vision Safety
• Desk Yoga

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Ergonomic Risks Due To

• Fixed or awkward postures maintained for too long

• Compression on hard or sharp edges of work
  surfaces

• High pace of movements that does not allow
  recovery time

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Reducing Risk

• Positioning monitor screen
• Positioning reference documents
• Mouse use and motion
• Keyboard position

• Keyboard use
• Chair height
• Backrest position
• Lighting
• Rest
• Exercise

Refer to handout
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The human visual system

• Human eye primarily for use at far distances,
  only secondarily for close up work.
• We are not properly equipped to comfortably spend
  long periods staring at VDTs.

Results Eyes dry out become sore, our
ability to adjust focus slows, vision may
blur. Headaches, sore shoulders, pain in the
neck may result.
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Care for Dry Eyes

• Over-the-counter eye drops (artificial tears) may
  be helpful may require eye MD care
• Remember to blink often to keep eyes from drying
  out

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• Take Vision Breaks from your VDT BEFORE
  symptoms develop

Take a vision break every 20-60 minutes Typical
breaks run from 2-4 minutes long
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Exercise Stretch Your Eyes

• Look away from your computer screen every 30
  minutes
• Focus for 5-10 seconds on an object outside or
  down the hallway
• Look far away at an object for 5-10 seconds then
  look at a near object for 5-10 seconds, rocking
  your focusing back and forth for 10 repetitions

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Yoga at the Keyboard
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Lets try one ankle Rotations

• Sit at edge of seat
• Extend leg, rest on heel, straighten leg
• Point toe and slowly rotate foot around ankle
  clockwise
• Repeat in counter-clockwise direction
• Do exercise with other foot

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Worksite Yoga Websites
http//www.yogaeverywhere.com/keyboard/index.html
http//www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/everyday_yoga.htm
l (this site sells easy-to-print PDF format of 14
exercises for 10 you can distribute to groups of
up to 25 or theyll be emailed to you in 24
hours)
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• What are your sleep habits?
• Length of uninterrupted sleep?
• Usual hours of day asleep?
• Change in pattern for days off?

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Lack of Sleep

• Shift workers get an average of 5 hours of sleep
  a day
• This is 1 hour to 1½ hours less than daytime
  workers
• How many hours of sleep do you get each day?

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Time Since Sleeping

• A shift worker who sleeps until 1 pm and gets
  off work at 7 am the next morning is driving
  after being awake for 18 hours.

• This is twice as long as daytime workers.

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Microsleeps
Brief (5 30 seconds) episodes of sleep that
strike when you are drowsy, causing you to nod
off briefly.

• High-risk conditions
• Highest between 3 am and 5 am
• Increases if sleep-deprived
• Working alone in quiet or dark environment
• Performing monotonous task
• Warning signs
• Eyes often make slow rolling movements before and
  during a microsleep

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Shift Work Sleepiness Put You at Risk For

• Chronic sleep deprivation
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Reduced alertness
• Increased crashes on the job

• Falling asleep while driving
• Low morale
• Decreased motivation and productivity
• Job burnout

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Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes a
year
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These WONT keep you awake while driving

• Turning up the volume on the radio
• Singing loudly
• Chewing gum or eating food
• Getting out of car and running around
• Slapping yourself
• Sticking your head out the window

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Sleep is Like a Credit Card

• You can go into debt
• Sleep debt can only be paid off by sleeping
• You cant overcome sleep by willpower
• To stop feeling sleepy, your body needs sleep

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Tips for daytime Sleeping...
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Develop Wind-down process

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before going to bed
  both interfere with deep levels of sleep
• Take a warm bath rather than invigorating shower
• Listen to soothing music or read until you feel
  sleepy
• Make a list of things you are concerned about or
  need to do so you dont worry about them when
  trying to sleep.

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Create a restful, comfortable sleeping place
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Adjust thermostat before going to bed

• A room that is too hot or too cold can disturb
  your sleep.
• Some research has shown that 60-65 degrees
  Fahrenheit or 16-18 degrees Celsius is ideal.

Block outside sounds
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Set House Rules

• Establish guidelines for everyone in family to
  maintain peaceful sleeping environment.
• Avoid vacuuming, dishwashers, laundry, and noisy
  games
• Unplug phone in your room.
• Hang a do not disturb sign on your door. (and
  on the front door so delivery people also wont
  disturb you)
• Keep a sleep schedule so friends and family know
  when to call or visit.

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Safety Tips

• Ensure your family feels safe at night while you
  are working
• Install a home security system
• Get a dog
• Keep emergency numbers handy

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Maintain social ties
Family Communication

• Hold regular family meetings, once or twice a
  week
• Phone home to talk with family members before
  their bedtimes

• Make a breakfast or early lunch date
• Enjoy a matinee with a friend
• Attend a daytime lecture or other community
  activity

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Keep Connected

• Rent or purchase digital camera or video
  camcorder
• Capture special moments you may miss because of
  work schedule such as school recitals, sports
  events
• Plan a family day once a month
• Schedule get-togethers on your days off or during
  your awake hours

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Happy Holidays

• Plan your schedule ahead. Put in time requests
  well in advance.
• Keep family and friends aware of your schedule.
• Move the celebration. Have the family
  get-together on another day.

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Heres to your health!

• Get quality sleep after your working hours.
• Fit exercise into your days. Spend some time in
  the sunshine (Vitamin D).
• Drink fluids (water). Mild dehydration can
  develop when working nighttime hours.
• Schedule regular healthcare appointments.

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Emotional health

• Keep balance in your life.
• Develop a hobby or other interest to keep you
  from being consumed by whats going on in the
  newsroom.
• Take mini-vacations.

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Spiritual health

• Attend your faith community services when
  possible.
• Develop personal time for prayer, reading,
  meditation, and reflection.
• Participate in small groups and community
  outreach.

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Questions?
Discussion...
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Thank You!
For your interest and attention.