How knackered are you?

postmanzach · Post by **postmanzach** » 04 Sep 2019, 18:24

Soon going back to starting at 7am so aware I’m going to need to go bed little earlier.

postmanzach · Post by **postmanzach** » 04 Sep 2019, 18:25

norris9 wrote:I personally am knackered all the time with aching muscles, painful feet and sometimes fall to sleep as early as 5pm and don't wake up until the next day. Today I have come home and I am more than knackered, I am shattered and trying to force myself to stay awake as I don't want to be going to bed at 6pm in the ruddy evening.

I am curious how everyone else feels physically on a daily basis by doing a poll.

Do you drink alcohol most days? Sorry if this seemed rude, just ask as I did, only a few beers usually, felt like I deserved it. and i was always aching, didnt reaslising how bad alcohol is for muscle recovery.

Gasman11 · Post by **Gasman11** » 04 Sep 2019, 18:37

Try to get out of the habit of carrying bags and use a light weight trolley as much as possible. If you're a floater and get moved around often always check the van to make sure you have one as nothing worse than working on a van share with someone who expects you to carry a bag thats bursting at the seams and really heavy. Far less demanding for the lwt to take the strain than your back etc.

Newbie001 · Post by **Newbie001** » 04 Sep 2019, 19:19

Got to force yourself to eat while on walk, even if it's just a granola bar. This job by it's very nature (exercise) keeps thing like diabetes very mild most of the time. I had same issues. But I've took blood tests that always came up negative. I definitely feel my blood sugar dropping and got all classic symptoms, especially tiredness. Now I force myself to snack during duty, even if not hungry and feel a whole lot better for it.
The aches and pains, like others said mostly down to Ill fitting shoes and walking 10 miles a day ;-) and being wrong side of 40.

postmanzach · Post by **postmanzach** » 04 Sep 2019, 21:03

-Diet and stretching plays a massvie part of feeling good imo. If you eat healhy slow release carbs, healthy fats and some good lean protein you should be fine. I have several litres of water, a bannana or apples, quaker oats with protein, couple of boiled eggs, coffee sometimes with honey for a little boost.

postypie · Post by **postypie** » 04 Sep 2019, 21:25

Aches and pain all the time with this job....having cancer doesn't help matters but I get little or no help from management /cwu (local reps) who just don't understand or even seem bothered about my welfare.
Have asked to be referred to ATOS/occupational health several times to see what can be done to help me but managers just fob me off with excuses and like I said cwu reps (local) just don't give a shite unless it is one of the mates who has issues!

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 04 Sep 2019, 23:01

postmanzach wrote:
norris9 wrote:I personally am knackered all the time with aching muscles, painful feet and sometimes fall to sleep as early as 5pm and don't wake up until the next day. Today I have come home and I am more than knackered, I am shattered and trying to force myself to stay awake as I don't want to be going to bed at 6pm in the ruddy evening.

I am curious how everyone else feels physically on a daily basis by doing a poll.
Do you drink alcohol most days? Sorry if this seemed rude, just ask as I did, only a few beers usually, felt like I deserved it. and i was always aching, didnt reaslising how bad alcohol is for muscle recovery.

I rarely drink alcohol, pretty much t-total.

If I was to guess.....

1. I need a 2 week break for my body to fully recover. Problem is as a newish recruit I cannot get 2 weeks off in one go. I feel that maybe my muscles don't have enough time to heal before I am pounding the streets again and it's a never ending cycle of muscles wanting to heal, but getting blasted again too soon.

2. The Royal Mail shoes are heavy, so I guess instead wearing some lightweight trainers will help.

3. Make sure I eat healthier and stretch.

I'll see how things go. But I would guess by the nature of the job and these poll results..... aches and pains and tiredness are inevitable in this job. We walk 8+ miles a day, up stairs, up inclines, down inclines. Even just delivering to 1 of those post boxes at the bottom of a door zaps a tonne of energy from you, it's crazy, you walk all these miles, but you feel like 20% of energy is sucked out of you in an instant of having to crouch down to force letters through some low, stiff, brass letter box.

Post by **Trail** » 04 Sep 2019, 23:25

norris9 wrote:
postmanzach wrote:
norris9 wrote:I personally am knackered all the time with aching muscles, painful feet and sometimes fall to sleep as early as 5pm and don't wake up until the next day. Today I have come home and I am more than knackered, I am shattered and trying to force myself to stay awake as I don't want to be going to bed at 6pm in the ruddy evening.

I am curious how everyone else feels physically on a daily basis by doing a poll.
Do you drink alcohol most days? Sorry if this seemed rude, just ask as I did, only a few beers usually, felt like I deserved it. and i was always aching, didnt reaslising how bad alcohol is for muscle recovery.
I rarely drink alcohol, pretty much t-total.

If I was to guess.....

1. I need a 2 week break for my body to fully recover. Problem is as a newish recruit I cannot get 2 weeks off in one go. I feel that maybe my muscles don't have enough time to heal before I am pounding the streets again and it's a never ending cycle of muscles wanting to heal, but getting blasted again too soon.

2. The Royal Mail shoes are heavy, so I guess instead wearing some lightweight trainers will help.

3. Make sure I eat healthier and stretch.

I'll see how things go. But I would guess by the nature of the job and these poll results..... aches and pains and tiredness are inevitable in this job. We walk 8+ miles a day, up stairs, up inclines, down inclines. Even just delivering to 1 of those post boxes at the bottom of a door zaps a tonne of energy from you, it's crazy, you walk all these miles, but you feel like 20% of energy is sucked out of you in an instant of having to crouch down to force letters through some low, stiff, brass letter box.

Number 2 is a must. When I started I was wearing CAT boots and they gave me hell, I couldn't walk after about two weeks. As soon as I switched to some Reebok trainers I had I was fine. I went back to RM shoes (Magnum) and they were even worse, they collapsed inwards - my normal shoes/trainers wear on the outside so however that worked out I'll never know. I binned them after about six weeks and moved to trainers and never looked back. If you get any s**t for wearing trainers just turn up to the DO in your RM shoes and change when you get out on delivery.

Number 3 is worth a look. I never stretched but I did make sure I ate while I was out. Also keep yourself watered.

Number 1 - good luck with that. It took me ten months to get four days off. It was only when I took three union members into the DOM office and threatened to go home at 8am if I didn't get some leave that I got some.

I wish you the best.

SeaKyle · Post by **SeaKyle** » 06 Sep 2019, 19:42

Not at all. I cycle 15 miles to my DO.
Do my 8-10 mile duty walk incl lapsing because lazy fulltimers want to get finished hours before their time.
Then cycle 15 mile home.
Crossfit gym then run the dog.
Repeat.

plodplodplod · Post by **plodplodplod** » 06 Sep 2019, 21:23

funny how 10 years ago we wern't giving each other advice on what carbs or drinks we should or shouldnt eat, because we'd turn up for work, finish the job and although knackered we could go home to rest and have lunch.

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 06 Sep 2019, 23:55

1 days rest at a time doesn't help either, not just with the physical side of things, but the mental side of things. For me it feels like I am on an endless cycle of working. Have 1 day off, then back to work. It's the first time I have worked to this kind of schedule. In past jobs having the whole weekend off is good as you have time to switch off knowing you're away from work for those days. With just the 1 day off you know it's right back to work the next day. The day off flies by.

deucepost · Post by **deucepost** » 07 Sep 2019, 02:12

Always in pain towards the end, i'm 56, 23 years in the job, knees, feet and back, got offered IHR and went for it. Works out I got just short of a years salary so gives me a bit of time to get some other income.
It's a big decision to make but I was not goin to live as a cripple in my later years end of.
Bryan.

work · Post by **work** » 07 Sep 2019, 02:42

deucepost wrote:Always in pain towards the end, i'm 56, 23 years in the job, knees, feet and back, got offered IHR and went for it. Works out I got just short of a years salary so gives me a bit of time to get some other income.
It's a big decision to make but I was not goin to live as a cripple in my later years end of.
Bryan.

good luck, fella

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 07 Sep 2019, 17:54

deucepost wrote:Always in pain towards the end, i'm 56, 23 years in the job, knees, feet and back, got offered IHR and went for it. Works out I got just short of a years salary so gives me a bit of time to get some other income.
It's a big decision to make but I was not goin to live as a cripple in my later years end of.
Bryan.

All the best.

I am already crippled after a few months in the job. Hobbling around.

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 08 Sep 2019, 02:24

Shagged as a filly in a knackers yard but still alive!

ROYALMAILCHAT