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How many of us can truthfully say that we regularly feel fully rested and refreshed after the last few years we’ve had? Many people often underestimate the importance of sleep to our overall mental health and wellbeing.
It’s important to have sufficient, regular, good quality sleep for our physical and mental health. Short periods of unsettled sleep can often be managed with well-researched tips however, longer periods may require a consult with your GP.
Some Useful Tips
It is worth formulating your own list of practical, healthy, accessible, common-sense ways to soothe your body and mind, so you can zero in on and practice what works for you.
Counselling support can help you to identify when stress and anxiety are affecting sleep and how to move forward. Start now and benefit from this free and confidential service.
Call Newport & Wildman on 1800 818 728 to book a session.
The Newport & Wildman 2024 Wellbeing Calendar and Quarter 3 Pack has launched! Ensuring a good night's sleep is an essential part of a healthy body and mind and we believe the best way to improve our sleep is to understand more about it. That's why we've developed out Sleep resources pack.
Download the Quarter 3 Pack - Sleep
Access the calendar and the Q3 Pack (Poster, Infographic & Activity) via the Employee Portal - https://newportwildman.com.au/employees
Q3 Pack + Suggested Training & Services
The calendar along with leader resources and suggested training & services is available via the Employer Portal- https://newportwildman.com.au/employers
Upcoming key awareness days in this quarter includes:
If you have any questions, call Newport & Wildman on 1800 650204 or reach out to your New Main Contact. As always, our people are here to help support you and your people be their best in life and work.
In Australia, 2 in 3 people* report having at least one sleep problem. Sleep is necessary for healthy functioning of the body and brain and impacts how we interact with one another and show up in the world.
When our busy modern lifestyles clash with our natural sleeping pattern, aka, our Circadian Rhythms, we need to look at ways to mitigate the impact of inadequate sleep.
Natural blue light from the sun helps regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to wake up in the morning and fall asleep at night. Finding a sunny spot first thing in the morning helps you get the right light to wake up properly.
Physical activity promotes overall health and improves sleep quality but try to avoid intense exercises close to bedtime as they can be overstimulating.
Lowering light levels in the evening, especially blue light, helps your body produce melatonin - the sleep hormone. Use dimmable lights or lamps with warm, low-intensity bulbs or blue light filters.
Exposure to blue light from screens is thought to inhibit melatonin production, which delays sleep onset. Despite this, new research may contradict this long-held belief. Still, considering the role of light in the brain’s hormone regulation, scientists still conclude that reducing screen time and light exposure before bed can promote better sleep quality.
Red light has a minimal impact on melatonin production. Use red light filters on devices, light bulbs/ lamp shades and windows to create a sleep-friendly environment in the evening.
Early bird? Night owl? Not everyone is suited for night shifts and some folks just aren't morning people. Although it’s not a quick fix, if you know your natural rhythm, you’ll be able to find opportunities that suit your schedule.
The quality of sleep you get is vital for supporting your physical and mental health. Environmental factors and duration affect your sleep cycle and how refreshed and revitalised you’ll be when you wake up. One important factor is completing a REM cycle before waking up and not waking in the middle of it, so learning about sleep timing can help you plan your night-time recuperation.
Finding a bedtime ritual or routine can help signal to your body that it's time to sleep, making it easier to fall asleep quickly. Maintaining a regular sleep-wake cycle is always the best way to reinforce the body's natural rhythms. Reading a book is a classic ritual, but you might prefer knitting.
A cool and dark environment is conducive to sleep. Blackout curtains can block external light (and sound) in the evenings, and a fan can help you sleep better by maintaining a cool room temperature.
Minimising noise in your bedroom helps prevent disturbances throughout the night. If you live in a busy area, try earplugs, noise-blocking curtains, or a white noise generator.
Eating large or heavy meals before bed can cause discomfort and interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Eat an early dinner and lighter snacks if you get hungry close to bedtime.
Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation can reduce stress and help you fall asleep. These practices are an excellent ritual for calming the mind and body before bed.
Napping to catch up on sleep can be helpful at times. However, to achieve optimal benefits without impacting your sleep that night, only nap for 20 minutes at a time.
Are you losing sleep over something? Need to talk it out? We provide a 100% confidential, safe space for you to speak your mind about ... your mind. Get in touch with us to talk self-care, mental health and workplace wellbeing.
References:
*Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia. (2018). Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Health and Safety.
Stress is a natural state that our minds and bodies adopt to prepare for the unexpected. Some stress can be good: It helps us prepare for a big task and protects against imminent threats. However, constant stress is exhausting and wears on our physical and emotional health.
We show stress in four ways:
By identifying indicators that we are stressed, we develop self-awareness that allows us to intervene before we feel overwhelmed.
Download our 10 Tips for Handling Stress here for a reset, or if you are feeling overwhelmed, book an appointment on 1800 650 204.
Workplace stress can present in physical symptoms and manifest as fatigue, headaches, indigestion, insomnia and anxiety. Managing stress can be a key factor in feeling more productive and enjoying your work. Here are some tips to help you manage your stress levels:
Work out your priorities
Write them down each morning, rank them and take one thing at a time. Include the important people in your life as priorities and attend to these relationships. Make tasks achievable.
Prioritise relaxation and exercise
Set aside time each day for recreation and exercise. These are not optional extras for handling stress, they are essential. Gentle exercises such as walking, swimming, cycling, meditation, yoga, dance and even hobbies are all excellent. Find what suits you best.
Practice saying ‘no’
If you feel overloaded, think hard before committing to other people’s expectations. Talk this over with someone you trust. Practice saying “Not immediately, but next hour/day/week/month” to buy yourself time.
Accept that change is a part of life
Make allowances for the fact that stress can make you more sensitive in reacting to others. Discuss your feelings with the person responsible for your agitation. If it’s impossible to talk it out, do some physical activity at the end of the working day to relieve tensions.
Don’t dwell on the past
Feelings of guilt, remorse and regret cannot change the past, they sap your energy and make the present difficult. Make an effort to do something to change your mood when you feel yourself drifting into regrets about past actions (e.g activity you enjoy). Learn from it and have strategies in place for next time. Learn to forgive yourself.
Don’t let people rush you
Allow extra time for the unexpected, slow down your pace, slow down your breathing. If you are frantic, you actually reduce your efficiency at work.
Identify your stress situations
Make a list of events that leave you emotionally drained, with ways to reduce the stress for each. When they occur, use them as an opportunity to practise stress relief. Keep notes on what works.
Learn to “reframe” statements
It is a waste of time and energy to be oversensitive to imagined insults, innuendo or sarcasm. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Talk over the situation with someone. They may have another spin on what was said.
Practice Mindfulness
This is where you let your frantic thinking be put aside and notice the present moment, without making any judgments, good or bad. Try this; pause for a moment, look around and notice five things you can see. Name them. Notice five things you can hear. Name them. Notice five things you can feel in contact with your body. Name them.
Enjoy Circuit Breakers
Reduce stress by taking breaks, talk to someone, have a bath, laugh regularly, read for pleasure or even learn something new (language/musical instrument etc).
For more information or assistance, contact us on 1800 650 204.
Traumatic events impact lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families, and whole communities. Organisations play a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting their employees and their families in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks and months following tragic events.
The immediate focus is to ensure that everyone is safe. At this present time, particularly with intense media coverage and access to information on the internet, it’s important to acknowledge that this is a heightened state of emotion for everyone involved. It’s important to be aware that everyone will respond differently, and everyone’s needs will be different, initially and over time. Being prepared to provide initial and long-term support for people will enhance and promote their own personal coping strategies and resilience.
An incident of this nature has the power to entirely consume those involved, especially when it has an impact on one’s feeling of safety and one’s family. As leaders and managers, it is within our control to provide support, reassurance, and care.
For further guidance download 'After a Traumatic Event' pdf brochure, which can be shared with your people.
Manager Support is available on 1800 650 204
One thing people often worry about is their financial situation. Financial worry is normal. Financial security, job security and a steady income are important basic things we require to provide for our loved ones, to feel safe and secure. Financial security supports our wellbeing, such as leisure time and activities. The loss of that security creates uncertainty and anxiety. If we are not careful to manage our thoughts and emotions, financial stress can dominate our thoughts 24/7 and impact on our health and wellbeing.
The way we view our financial situation can shape our thoughts and feelings more generally. Financial challenges can occur at many times during our lives – getting married or separated, buying or selling a home, illness, reduced work hours or redundancy. Understanding financial concepts can be confusing, but getting your finances in order will help reduce stress and get you back on track. Remember, you are not alone, and there is help available.
Here are some basic tips on reducing finance-related stress:
Create a budget
If your financial situation is causing you stress, it’s vital to create a budget. Record all income and expenditure and know exactly what you spend on non-essential items. Be critical of what you are spending and cut down on any unessential items if necessary.
Pay off debt
Review and consolidate loans to help get them under control. Pay off your credit card debt and remember to start with the credit card with the highest interest rate.
Review fees
It’s important to review your bank and bank products as your life circumstances change. Compare and contrast bank fees and ensure you have the best products for your individual situation. Your bank manager can help talk you through the best options.
Save for a rainy day
Having an emergency or ‘rainy day’ fund can help alleviate financial stress knowing you have something in reserve. Start putting money away every month – even if it’s just a small amount, it all adds up.
De-stress
It’s normal to feel worried or anxious when times are hard but consider the impact financial stress is having on your life. Take time to relax and de-stress. Taking the right steps towards getting your finances in control will help ease stress.
If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed by your financial situation, remember you are not alone. Financial coaching can help you understand and manage money by teaching you financial skills that last a lifetime. Newport & Wildman’s financial coaches will assist you in creating a personalised action plan to manage your debt and provide practical information on your options and rights. Confidential guidance and support is available to expertly and respectfully guide you back to financial control. Reach out to us if you'd like support with finance coaching by call us on 1800 650 204.
Incorporating gratitude into our daily routines doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some simple practices to try:
1. Keep a Gratitude Journal:
Set aside a few minutes each day to write down three things you’re grateful for. They can be as small as a warm cup of coffee in the morning or as significant as the support of loved ones.
2. Practice Mindfulness:
Take moments throughout the day to pause and appreciate the present moment. Notice the sights, sounds, and sensations around you, and take time to savor them.
3. Express Gratitude:
Don’t hesitate to express your gratitude to others. Whether it’s a heartfelt thank-you note, a kind word, or a simple gesture of appreciation, letting others know you’re grateful for them strengthens your relationships and uplifts both parties.
4. Count Your Blessings:
When faced with challenges, try to reframe them in a more positive light by focusing on what you’re grateful for. Even in difficult situations, there are often silver linings to be found.
5. Practice Self-Compassion:
Remember to extend gratitude towards yourself as well. Acknowledge your strengths, accomplishments, and efforts, and be kind to yourself, especially during tough times.
Incorporating gratitude into our lives is a simple yet powerful way to enhance our mental health and overall wellbeing. By cultivating a mindset of appreciation and thankfulness, we can experience greater joy, resilience, and connection with ourselves and others. We encourage you to explore these practices and discover the transformative power of gratitude in your life.
Remember, no gesture of gratitude is too small, and every moment of appreciation brings us closer to a happier, healthier existence.
Businesses can maximise the productivity and efficiency of their diverse workforce through:
1. Developing an understanding of employees and embracing difference
Seek first to understand before being understood - get to know what really makes your team tick. Ask respectful questions with the intention to better understand someone. Recognise and appreciate team members by knowing and using their full range of skills and talents and remove obstacles to their effective participation.
2. Building cohesive teams through open communication
Recognising that we all have biases shaped through our own life experiences which affect our perception of others. As leaders, it is important to raise awareness of these biases to help build tolerance, understanding and acceptance amongst employees. Understand that we have to adapt our communication to meet individual team members' needs. Culture informs our communication - facilitate a respectful and curious discussion about this in your workplace.
3. Providing opportunities and encouraging participation in training
Ensure that training is tailored to the needs of a diverse workforce and that both format and content is relevant. Ask team members for feedback. Newport & Wildman provides a suite of training that aims to promote diversity and inclusion, dignity and respect in the workplace through effective communication that assists to build effective teams. We also provide counselling and training support to manage conflict that may arise as a result of difference in the workplace.
4. Promoting cultural knowledge and understanding through celebrations
Develop a cultural celebrations calendar and engage employees to organise events as a way to raise awareness and break down barriers.
Generally speaking, patience, courtesy and a bit of curiosity go a long way. And, if you are unsure of any differences that may exist, simply ask team members. A workplace in which diversity is valued also gains the productivity benefits of retaining valuable staff and maintaining high staff morale.
Ask your Relationship Manager about Newport & Wildman's Diversity and Inclusion training today
Our Diversity & Inclusion Training provides information to enhance understanding of the diverse nature of the workplace and how individual differences can be harnessed to foster healthy working relationships. Participants explore practical ways that organisations and individuals can harness diversity and foster an inclusive culture, where employees feel a sense of belonging and common purpose.
“Our invisible load is the stress we carry, that no one sees, that drives how we think and feel. From the physical load on our body to the emotional load in our mind, this invisible load is what really sits at the heart of our stress. And until we learn to unpack this, reducing our experience of stress will be almost impossible.”
- Dr Libby Weaver, The Invisible Load
What’s your invisible load?
Invisible loads can look different for each of us. It’s about carrying the mental burden of ‘responsibility’ even when we’re sharing the load, or not physically doing the task that responsibility relates to.
Perhaps you are the walking family calendar, you know when it’s time to take the dogs to the vet, when the children are due their vaccinations or what vitamins they need to take after dinner each night. Someone’s birthday? You remember to buy a present and send a card.
Or perhaps you are the responsible one who manages the family budget and takes care of all the bills.
Maybe you’re the planner, planning every detail to the last dot. An upcoming family holiday? You scroll through the latest deals, assess the safest countries, decide on what is the most affordable spot.
A study carried out by Arizona State University found that 90% of women felt solely responsible for organising family schedules, of which 65% of the women were employed. And these women were left feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
The Bright Horizons report found 72% of working mums feel it’s their job to be across children’s schedules, and 52% were facing burnout from the weight of these responsibilities.
But this isn’t just a burden that women with kids carry, single women also carry many invisible loads. Women tend to assume the role of carer for elderly parents or disabled family members. With 71% of primary carers in Australia women.
Our invisible loads are taken for granted because they are often not regarded as work. We don’t consider these loads when assessing our sources of stress or overwhelm, but they need more attention.
Our invisible loads can impact our mental health in many ways. They can lead to a loss of ‘identity’, being less satisfied with our lives and relationships, and more susceptible to stress, burnout, hopelessness. Often, it’s the cumulative impacts of invisible loads that contribute to relationship breakdowns - robbing children and partners of safety, security, and care.
The long-term health impacts of carrying this load can include neurodiverse issues and auto-immune diseases. In fact, auto-immune diseases are far more prevalent in women than in men. We recommend reading Dr Libby Weaver’s more in-depth analysis on the health impacts and research attributed to it.
What can we do?
Today, many households have a more balanced division of labour. There’s a genuine shift in society of men wanting to help more, and many more supports in the community available to us all. But women still take on invisible mental and emotional loads without realising, and perhaps don’t recognise the toll this can take on home life if left without helpful care and attention.
This is one of the reasons why employers providing flexibility in the workplace is so important, enabling parents to drop off and pick up children, and providing parents with the choice to split that responsibility. We must acknowledge we all have significant roles outside of the workplace and provide our people with the flexibility to juggle these responsibilities and support one another.
Since the pandemic, many households are noticing these loads and shining a light on the issue. With more flexibility at work and the ability to work at home, households can split the chores and mental load.
Ultimately, the responsibility lies with each one of us. We must recognise how much we do and how much we hold. It impacts our physical and mental health, as well as personal relationships and is an issue we should be very mindful of. We need to open the conversation up and recognise the burden we are naturally taking on. To do this, we need to make the invisible, visible. Share this with your partner, discuss the mental burden you may be carrying and what you can do together to alleviate this.
Keep asking yourself what change can I make? How do we shift and adapt? What can I do less of? These are all important questions to ask yourself and friends and family.
What invisible load are you carrying? What changes have you made to protect yourself and your health. Let’s start the conversation here.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190122092857.htm
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-is-the-mental-load
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01836-9
Newport & Wildman acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Peoples of the lands we live and work on throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community as we pay our respects to the Elders past, present and future. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who connect with this website.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have since passed away.
Newport & Wildman acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we work on and their continuing connection to land, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples using this content are advised that it may contain images, names or voices of people who have passed away.
