As part of the growing drive to tackle mental illness in the maritime community, a special guide to managing stress has been released, along with an accompanying relaxation tape.
Developed by the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) and sponsored by the Shipowners' Club, the new resources are available free of charge online, and are tailored to seafarers' needs.
Managing Stress and Sleeping Well at Sea is the third of ISWAN's good mental health guides, which recognise the particular challenges seafarers face: long periods away from home; living and working in the same place; adverse weather; and even the risk of piracy.
Written by consultant psychologist Dr Pennie Blackburn, this latest guide aims to help seafarers understand stress and its effects, and offers practical strategies to recognise stress and cope effectively.
It provides advice on how seafarers can manage fatigue at sea and get the most from their sleep and a 15-minute audio relaxation exercise complements the guide, combining muscle relaxation with controlled breathing to help calm the body and mind in times of stress.
- Managing Stress and Sleeping Well at Sea and the accompanying relaxation exercise can both be downloaded from the Seafarer Help website – look in the Health & Well-being section.
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