Corrections_Today_March_April_2023_Vol.85_No.2

[through exercise] are a bigger pump of blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain than the heart. Exercise increases BDNF [Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor], which is referred to as miracle grow for the brain, and it rids the brain of toxic and harmful waste products. In essence, exercise greatly improves resilience in staff. Meditation Meditation is another important tool for increasing resilience. It has been used by societies for thousands of years. Science research has taken it out of the realm of “woo woo’ to the point where many correctional agencies are promoting it and even providing training in it. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is one of the frequently used forms. Meditation can be as simple as sitting comfortably in a quiet place, closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing through your nose. Anytime you become aware of a thought, simply refocus on your breathing and do this for 20 minutes. Meditation reduces stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms and improves well-being, emotional regulation, self-esteem, optimism, life satisfaction, brain function, sleep and immune function. Maybe, with all these benefits, that is why it has been used in most societies for so long. It works! Meditation reduces stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms and improves well-being, emotional regulation, self-esteem, optimism, life satisfaction, brain function, sleep and immune function. Sleep Sleep is another important factor in staff well-being and resilience. It is especially important today with short staffing and all the double shifts staff are required to work. The quality and quantity of sleep greatly influences how much we eat, i.e., whether we are overweight or

slender, how well we fight off infection, our creativity, insightfulness and compassion. It impacts all organs of the body, including our cardiovascular and immune systems. It is considered the master regulator of hormones. Adequate sleep improves depression, brain fog, memory loss and factors leading to diabetes, as well as boosts the glymphatic system which removes toxic wastes from the brain. Because weight gain is so common in corrections, a little more detail would be useful. Inadequate sleep reduces leptin hormones in the brain, which tell us we are full and to stop eating. At the same time, it increases the ghrelin hormone which says we are hungry and to eat more. Also, the increase in cortisol in our brain from inadequate sleep increases our appetite even more (Perlmutter, 2022). Inadequate sleep has an immediate impact. One study of military sharpshooters found that after 8 hours of sleep, their accuracy was 99.9%, while after 7 hours it dropped to 90%, and 6 hours to 60% and after 5 hours it dropped to 50% (Perlmutter, 2022). Recommendations for good sleep are as follows: (Perlmutter, 2022) – Consistent wake-up time – Stop caffeine by 2 p.m. – Stop alcohol three hours before sleep – Exercise more than four hours before sleep – Sunlight every morning — even if next to a window – Decrease blue light at night from TV, phone or computer [blue light glasses on Amazon $18] – Room temperature 65 o -75 o – Body-mind activity like meditation before bed Activities with flow The last activity we can engage in to increase personal resilience is doing activities where we experience flow. When we are engaged in a pleasurable activity where we are totally immersed in what we are doing, fully concentrating and unaware of time or anything else, we experience flow. In sports it’s called being in the ‘zone’. Examples of flow are doing activities for their own sake, such as gardening, jogging, wood working, cleaning, cooking, knitting, pottery, painting or other crafts. In a sense it is a form of meditation. Increasing the frequency of doing a flow activity can improve resilience. →

Corrections Today March/April 2023— 25