National Police Wellbeing Service launches ‘Better Sleep’ toolkit
Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service, has teamed up with sleep scientist Dr Sophie Bostock to launch a ‘toolkit’ aimed at supporting police officers, staff and volunteers with fatigue and sleep problems.
Andy Rhodes, service director for Oscar Kilo, said: “We have undertaken extensive work around sleep and fatigue, after it was identified as a concern in our 2019 National Wellbeing Survey, and we know it’s making a difference. I am really excited to launch this Toolkit; its development has come from feedback and is a continuation of the excellent work done with Sophie last year.
“If you struggle sleeping, you will know what a significant impact it can have on your work and home life, this resource will give you the tools to enable you to learn and practice the habits you need to wake up with more energy, be more productive and worry less.”
The Better Sleep Toolkit includes a four-week online course, which aims to help you learn and practice the habits you need to wake up with more energy, be more productive and worry less.
The course is designed not only to help explain what to do, but also how to make it easy, and why it is important. This programme is open to anyone working in policing, including officers, staff, volunteers and specials, and can be accessed via the Oscar Kilo website.
The toolkit also includes a series of six bite-sized videos, covering a range of topics such as snoring, insomnia and nightshifts, which give some quick fixes that you can start straight away to improve your sleep.
Following the success of the Better Sleep webinar series last year, four brand new webinars are taking place, which are open to anyone who works in policing to join. Hosted live by Dr Bostock, the sessions will take a deeper look at relevant sleep related topics and will include an opportunity to ask questions. The next one takes place today (January 19) and looks at sleep and anxiety.
Dr Bostock said: “Whether you’re tired of waking up in the middle of the night, you’re struggling with shift work, or you’re just curious to learn more about sleep, we’ve designed the toolkit to help! Working with the police family over the last year has made me appreciate that there is a real appetite for bite-sized sleep help. When you sign up for the toolkit you can simply download an audio technique, or follow the four-week course; whatever you need to feel more confident that you know how to sleep well.”
