Resources

Managing Stress and Sleeping Well at Sea

Seafarers face unique challenges shared by few other professions – long periods away from home, living and working in the same place, adverse weather and even the risk of piracy. Prolonged stress and fatigue can have negative long-term effects on our health, so it is important to know how to recognise and manage them.

This self-help guide aims to help seafarers understand stress and its effects, and offers practical strategies to recognise stress and cope effectively. It also provides advice on how seafarers can manage fatigue at sea and get the most from their sleep. Factors such as rota management and crewing numbers may be largely outside of seafarers’ control, but seafarers can use the tips in this guide to reduce their risk of fatigue and take care of their sleep health.