Questions of consent raised at Geraldton community forum on voluntary assisted dying
A community forum in Geraldton has reignited debate around one of the most sensitive issues in WA's voluntary assisted dying laws — the role of consent, particularly for people diagnosed with degenerative brain diseases.
The forum on May 9 was one of two local sessions hosted by the WA Voluntary Assisted Dying Statewide Care Navigator Service in partnership with Rural Health West, the Midwest Gascoyne Health Professional Network and the Midwest Palliative Care Service.
While the first session focused on educating rural health professionals, the second was open to the public and offered a platform for community questions and concerns.
In the first three years of the legislation, which came into effect in WA in July 2021, 69 first requests to access VAD were recorded in the Mid West, making it the third-highest region in the State after the South West and Great Southern, according to the 2023-24 annual report of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board.
During that time, 40 people were assessed as eligible and underwent a first clinical assessment, while there were two participating VAD medical practitioners in the Mid West.
Almost 2500 people requested VAD across WA between 2021 and 2024., with 737 deaths recorded.
Statewide, VAD accounts for about 1.6 per cent of all deaths.
A person must meet specific criteria to access VAD, including being 18 or older, an Australian citizen or permanent resident who has lived in WA for 12 months, have a qualifying disease or illness, act voluntarily and without coercion, have an enduring request, and have decision-making capabilities.
One attendee at the forum asked whether the current legislation could ever change to allow people in the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer's to make an advanced request for VAD, knowing they would eventually lose the ability to give consent.
Under WA's current VAD laws, the legislation requires individuals to maintain full decision-making capacity throughout the entire process — for those with neurodegenerative diseases, they must have a prognosis of no more than 12 months to live.
If that capacity is lost at any point, the process cannot go ahead.
While VAD is intended to offer a compassionate choice for end of life, it does not currently accommodate advanced directives for those facing progressive degenerative conditions.
When asked if advanced consent would be something considered in WA legislation, Alice Morison, a nurse co-ordinator from WA VAD Statewide Care, said while it may not be something that happens soon, it was at the forefront of most discussions about VAD.
'If I know that I have dementia, could I put something in place? If I meet specific criteria at that time, the doctor would assist me to die? We're not there yet, and I don't think we're going to be there soon, but it's on the table,' she said.
'I just don't think it will happen soon, because I think we need a bit more time to understand what this looks like.
'We're not going to know really exactly what that will look like just yet, but at the end of the day, you'd be asking someone to administer a medication that would cause your death when you can't ask for it, and that's a tricky thing.'
Leesa Thomas, Rural Health West general manager education and engagement, said providing education on VAD helped to start important conversations and breakthrough the stigma surrounding the topic.
'The events empower both healthcare workers and community members to make informed choices, strengthens local care capacity, and promote respectful conversations around health and wellbeing,' she said.
'Delivering education where people live is especially important in rural and remote WA, where distance and isolation can often hinder access to information and support. By offering sessions locally, communities can engage in meaningful dialogue about important health topics that affect them directly.'
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The Advertiser
20 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Inside aged care: what our elderly Australians are eating may shock you
Bread with sausage is one of the meals served to Australians in aged care as they survive on a $15.49 daily food allowance. Nutritionist and University of Melbourne research fellow, Dr Sandra Iuliano, told ACM that food quality varied greatly in aged care homes around Australia. Residents might get crumbed lamb cutlets, with a side of potato bake, carrots, peas, zucchini, corn, and mushroom gravy. But some do not. "Some of the food I would pay to eat at a restaurant," Dr Iuliano said. But party pies were not that unusual either, she said. "It appears things may not necessarily be better since the Royal Commission." The Royal Commission into Aged Care final report in 2021 made for stark reading. It found "staggering" rates of malnutrition in Australian aged care homes. Food and nutrition were singled out as one of four areas in "urgent need of improvement." Search below for an aged care home: It was estimated that some aged care providers were spending as little as $6 a day on meals for each aged care resident. Poor nutrition was related to falls, fractures, pressure injuries and unnecessary hospitalisation, the report found. In response, the federal government introduced the Basic Daily Fee supplement in 2022, which incorporated a payment to providers of $10 per resident per day to improve the quality of food as well as the general daily needs of residents. The October-December 2024 Quarterly Financial Snapshot of the Aged Care Sector found the median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector to be $15.49 per resident per day. Dr Iuliano said an increase in that monetary amount did not necessarily indicate the situation had improved dramatically. "They are spending more, but the cost of food has gone up a lot as well," said Dr Iuliano. "And if they are spending more, we still don't know what they are buying." A federal Health Department spokesperson told ACM that older Australians had worked their whole lives, "so they deserve tasty, nutritious food that improves their quality of life in aged care. "With the culinary talent of the Maggie Beer Foundation food program, older people are getting quality nutrition and tasty food no matter the aged care facility." "There has been an increase in the daily per-resident spend on food, and a decrease in the prevalence of significant unexpected weight loss in residential aged care," the spokesperson said. The Albanese Government had also introduced a new Food Standard "as part of our once-in-a-generation aged care reforms to ensure the quality of food, safety and nutrition will continue to increase". The median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector at $15.49 per resident per day, was an overall increase of $0.92 on quarter 2, 2023-24. This also represents an increase of $0.57 from the previous quarter (Q1 2024-25), up from $14.92. Residential aged care providers spending less than $10 per resident per day on food and ingredients are referred to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, according to the federal government. Dr Iuliano said there were still indications that nutritional needs were not always being met in aged care homes. "We have done some research in that interim period," Dr Iuliano said. "While some improvements are apparent if you look at the high protein foods - from the dairy and meat food groups - some are still not providing recommended intake levels". The federal government's new Aged Care Quality Standards for food and nutrition, as part of the Aged Care Act 2024, will be implemented in November 2025. It's the first time nutrition has been mentioned in the Act. "The first thing is to put food in the spotlight," Dr Iuliano said. "That's a good thing. The previous act had no distinct mention of food or nutrition. It's made it an important part of their care." The aged care sector was under increasing pressure as the nation's population aged, Dr Iuliano said. "The key is we still need to respect the older adults in care," she said. Fancy curried lentil and pumpkin soup and butter chicken curry with naan bread. For dessert, try lemon meringue pie with cream, or homemade sticky date pudding. It could be the menu of a premium restaurant. Instead, it's dinner at Uralba Hostel for Aged Care in Gundagai in the NSW Riverina. Uralba Hostel was nominated in May as one of the top aged care homes for food quality in the Department of Health and Ageing annual Residents' Experience survey of more than 30,000 aged care residents. Uralba manager Katie White said that all the food was prepared fresh, on-site. "This stimulates positive emotions and memories of home-cooked meals, providing comfort to our residents," she said. Not all aged care residents are so lucky. Do you know more? Email the journalist: Bread with sausage is one of the meals served to Australians in aged care as they survive on a $15.49 daily food allowance. Nutritionist and University of Melbourne research fellow, Dr Sandra Iuliano, told ACM that food quality varied greatly in aged care homes around Australia. Residents might get crumbed lamb cutlets, with a side of potato bake, carrots, peas, zucchini, corn, and mushroom gravy. But some do not. "Some of the food I would pay to eat at a restaurant," Dr Iuliano said. But party pies were not that unusual either, she said. "It appears things may not necessarily be better since the Royal Commission." The Royal Commission into Aged Care final report in 2021 made for stark reading. It found "staggering" rates of malnutrition in Australian aged care homes. Food and nutrition were singled out as one of four areas in "urgent need of improvement." Search below for an aged care home: It was estimated that some aged care providers were spending as little as $6 a day on meals for each aged care resident. Poor nutrition was related to falls, fractures, pressure injuries and unnecessary hospitalisation, the report found. In response, the federal government introduced the Basic Daily Fee supplement in 2022, which incorporated a payment to providers of $10 per resident per day to improve the quality of food as well as the general daily needs of residents. The October-December 2024 Quarterly Financial Snapshot of the Aged Care Sector found the median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector to be $15.49 per resident per day. Dr Iuliano said an increase in that monetary amount did not necessarily indicate the situation had improved dramatically. "They are spending more, but the cost of food has gone up a lot as well," said Dr Iuliano. "And if they are spending more, we still don't know what they are buying." A federal Health Department spokesperson told ACM that older Australians had worked their whole lives, "so they deserve tasty, nutritious food that improves their quality of life in aged care. "With the culinary talent of the Maggie Beer Foundation food program, older people are getting quality nutrition and tasty food no matter the aged care facility." "There has been an increase in the daily per-resident spend on food, and a decrease in the prevalence of significant unexpected weight loss in residential aged care," the spokesperson said. The Albanese Government had also introduced a new Food Standard "as part of our once-in-a-generation aged care reforms to ensure the quality of food, safety and nutrition will continue to increase". The median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector at $15.49 per resident per day, was an overall increase of $0.92 on quarter 2, 2023-24. This also represents an increase of $0.57 from the previous quarter (Q1 2024-25), up from $14.92. Residential aged care providers spending less than $10 per resident per day on food and ingredients are referred to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, according to the federal government. Dr Iuliano said there were still indications that nutritional needs were not always being met in aged care homes. "We have done some research in that interim period," Dr Iuliano said. "While some improvements are apparent if you look at the high protein foods - from the dairy and meat food groups - some are still not providing recommended intake levels". The federal government's new Aged Care Quality Standards for food and nutrition, as part of the Aged Care Act 2024, will be implemented in November 2025. It's the first time nutrition has been mentioned in the Act. "The first thing is to put food in the spotlight," Dr Iuliano said. "That's a good thing. The previous act had no distinct mention of food or nutrition. It's made it an important part of their care." The aged care sector was under increasing pressure as the nation's population aged, Dr Iuliano said. "The key is we still need to respect the older adults in care," she said. Fancy curried lentil and pumpkin soup and butter chicken curry with naan bread. For dessert, try lemon meringue pie with cream, or homemade sticky date pudding. It could be the menu of a premium restaurant. Instead, it's dinner at Uralba Hostel for Aged Care in Gundagai in the NSW Riverina. Uralba Hostel was nominated in May as one of the top aged care homes for food quality in the Department of Health and Ageing annual Residents' Experience survey of more than 30,000 aged care residents. Uralba manager Katie White said that all the food was prepared fresh, on-site. "This stimulates positive emotions and memories of home-cooked meals, providing comfort to our residents," she said. Not all aged care residents are so lucky. Do you know more? Email the journalist: Bread with sausage is one of the meals served to Australians in aged care as they survive on a $15.49 daily food allowance. Nutritionist and University of Melbourne research fellow, Dr Sandra Iuliano, told ACM that food quality varied greatly in aged care homes around Australia. Residents might get crumbed lamb cutlets, with a side of potato bake, carrots, peas, zucchini, corn, and mushroom gravy. But some do not. "Some of the food I would pay to eat at a restaurant," Dr Iuliano said. But party pies were not that unusual either, she said. "It appears things may not necessarily be better since the Royal Commission." The Royal Commission into Aged Care final report in 2021 made for stark reading. It found "staggering" rates of malnutrition in Australian aged care homes. Food and nutrition were singled out as one of four areas in "urgent need of improvement." Search below for an aged care home: It was estimated that some aged care providers were spending as little as $6 a day on meals for each aged care resident. Poor nutrition was related to falls, fractures, pressure injuries and unnecessary hospitalisation, the report found. In response, the federal government introduced the Basic Daily Fee supplement in 2022, which incorporated a payment to providers of $10 per resident per day to improve the quality of food as well as the general daily needs of residents. The October-December 2024 Quarterly Financial Snapshot of the Aged Care Sector found the median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector to be $15.49 per resident per day. Dr Iuliano said an increase in that monetary amount did not necessarily indicate the situation had improved dramatically. "They are spending more, but the cost of food has gone up a lot as well," said Dr Iuliano. "And if they are spending more, we still don't know what they are buying." A federal Health Department spokesperson told ACM that older Australians had worked their whole lives, "so they deserve tasty, nutritious food that improves their quality of life in aged care. "With the culinary talent of the Maggie Beer Foundation food program, older people are getting quality nutrition and tasty food no matter the aged care facility." "There has been an increase in the daily per-resident spend on food, and a decrease in the prevalence of significant unexpected weight loss in residential aged care," the spokesperson said. The Albanese Government had also introduced a new Food Standard "as part of our once-in-a-generation aged care reforms to ensure the quality of food, safety and nutrition will continue to increase". The median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector at $15.49 per resident per day, was an overall increase of $0.92 on quarter 2, 2023-24. This also represents an increase of $0.57 from the previous quarter (Q1 2024-25), up from $14.92. Residential aged care providers spending less than $10 per resident per day on food and ingredients are referred to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, according to the federal government. Dr Iuliano said there were still indications that nutritional needs were not always being met in aged care homes. "We have done some research in that interim period," Dr Iuliano said. "While some improvements are apparent if you look at the high protein foods - from the dairy and meat food groups - some are still not providing recommended intake levels". The federal government's new Aged Care Quality Standards for food and nutrition, as part of the Aged Care Act 2024, will be implemented in November 2025. It's the first time nutrition has been mentioned in the Act. "The first thing is to put food in the spotlight," Dr Iuliano said. "That's a good thing. The previous act had no distinct mention of food or nutrition. It's made it an important part of their care." The aged care sector was under increasing pressure as the nation's population aged, Dr Iuliano said. "The key is we still need to respect the older adults in care," she said. Fancy curried lentil and pumpkin soup and butter chicken curry with naan bread. For dessert, try lemon meringue pie with cream, or homemade sticky date pudding. It could be the menu of a premium restaurant. Instead, it's dinner at Uralba Hostel for Aged Care in Gundagai in the NSW Riverina. Uralba Hostel was nominated in May as one of the top aged care homes for food quality in the Department of Health and Ageing annual Residents' Experience survey of more than 30,000 aged care residents. Uralba manager Katie White said that all the food was prepared fresh, on-site. "This stimulates positive emotions and memories of home-cooked meals, providing comfort to our residents," she said. Not all aged care residents are so lucky. Do you know more? Email the journalist: Bread with sausage is one of the meals served to Australians in aged care as they survive on a $15.49 daily food allowance. Nutritionist and University of Melbourne research fellow, Dr Sandra Iuliano, told ACM that food quality varied greatly in aged care homes around Australia. Residents might get crumbed lamb cutlets, with a side of potato bake, carrots, peas, zucchini, corn, and mushroom gravy. But some do not. "Some of the food I would pay to eat at a restaurant," Dr Iuliano said. But party pies were not that unusual either, she said. "It appears things may not necessarily be better since the Royal Commission." The Royal Commission into Aged Care final report in 2021 made for stark reading. It found "staggering" rates of malnutrition in Australian aged care homes. Food and nutrition were singled out as one of four areas in "urgent need of improvement." Search below for an aged care home: It was estimated that some aged care providers were spending as little as $6 a day on meals for each aged care resident. Poor nutrition was related to falls, fractures, pressure injuries and unnecessary hospitalisation, the report found. In response, the federal government introduced the Basic Daily Fee supplement in 2022, which incorporated a payment to providers of $10 per resident per day to improve the quality of food as well as the general daily needs of residents. The October-December 2024 Quarterly Financial Snapshot of the Aged Care Sector found the median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector to be $15.49 per resident per day. Dr Iuliano said an increase in that monetary amount did not necessarily indicate the situation had improved dramatically. "They are spending more, but the cost of food has gone up a lot as well," said Dr Iuliano. "And if they are spending more, we still don't know what they are buying." A federal Health Department spokesperson told ACM that older Australians had worked their whole lives, "so they deserve tasty, nutritious food that improves their quality of life in aged care. "With the culinary talent of the Maggie Beer Foundation food program, older people are getting quality nutrition and tasty food no matter the aged care facility." "There has been an increase in the daily per-resident spend on food, and a decrease in the prevalence of significant unexpected weight loss in residential aged care," the spokesperson said. The Albanese Government had also introduced a new Food Standard "as part of our once-in-a-generation aged care reforms to ensure the quality of food, safety and nutrition will continue to increase". The median total expenditure on food and ingredients for the sector at $15.49 per resident per day, was an overall increase of $0.92 on quarter 2, 2023-24. This also represents an increase of $0.57 from the previous quarter (Q1 2024-25), up from $14.92. Residential aged care providers spending less than $10 per resident per day on food and ingredients are referred to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, according to the federal government. Dr Iuliano said there were still indications that nutritional needs were not always being met in aged care homes. "We have done some research in that interim period," Dr Iuliano said. "While some improvements are apparent if you look at the high protein foods - from the dairy and meat food groups - some are still not providing recommended intake levels". The federal government's new Aged Care Quality Standards for food and nutrition, as part of the Aged Care Act 2024, will be implemented in November 2025. It's the first time nutrition has been mentioned in the Act. "The first thing is to put food in the spotlight," Dr Iuliano said. "That's a good thing. The previous act had no distinct mention of food or nutrition. It's made it an important part of their care." The aged care sector was under increasing pressure as the nation's population aged, Dr Iuliano said. "The key is we still need to respect the older adults in care," she said. Fancy curried lentil and pumpkin soup and butter chicken curry with naan bread. For dessert, try lemon meringue pie with cream, or homemade sticky date pudding. It could be the menu of a premium restaurant. Instead, it's dinner at Uralba Hostel for Aged Care in Gundagai in the NSW Riverina. Uralba Hostel was nominated in May as one of the top aged care homes for food quality in the Department of Health and Ageing annual Residents' Experience survey of more than 30,000 aged care residents. Uralba manager Katie White said that all the food was prepared fresh, on-site. "This stimulates positive emotions and memories of home-cooked meals, providing comfort to our residents," she said. Not all aged care residents are so lucky. Do you know more? Email the journalist:
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Red alert for furry friends on sweltering hot days
Extremely hot days are not friendly to man's best friend. Days above 32C have been linked to a nearly 10 per cent spike in dog death risk, research suggests. Older animals, pets with existing health conditions and flat-faced breeds are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, but all dogs are at risk as they cannot sweat effectively and rely on panting and drinking water to stay cool. University of NSW researchers have found a clear link between dog deaths and hot, humid days, with the risk of mortality increasing by one per cent for every degree above 25C. Animal ecologist from the university and lead author of the analysis of NSW veterinary data, Joy Tripovich, said the findings underlined the seriousness of pet heat stress in a nation prone to hot weather. "Given that we're expecting these extreme weather events to happen with more frequency and intensity mean it's something to make people aware of," Dr Tripovich told AAP. Greater concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are expected to produce more heatwaves, with the Climate Council anticipating double the amount of 35C days each year by 2050 for nearly a third of Australian communities. Authorities had become better at warning people ahead of extremely hot days and Dr Tripovich said those alerts should be heeded for pets. "We can then proactively plan, you know, 'does my dog have access to fresh water, shade and a ventilated area? Can it be kept inside?'," she told AAP. Dogs exhibiting signs of heat stress should be taken to the vet as soon as possible, she said. The analysis of 20 years of state vet data also revealed a sharp spike in dog death risk on public holidays and weekends, irrespective of heat conditions. On public holidays, dog deaths surge a massive 155 per cent. Sundays experience nearly twice as many mortalities compared with other days of the week. There are a number of different explanations for higher dog deaths on weekends and public holidays, including vets are either closed or appointments more expensive. Owners are also more likely to be either taking their dogs out and about, which may put them at greater risk of heat stress due to too much physical activity. Extremely hot days are not friendly to man's best friend. Days above 32C have been linked to a nearly 10 per cent spike in dog death risk, research suggests. Older animals, pets with existing health conditions and flat-faced breeds are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, but all dogs are at risk as they cannot sweat effectively and rely on panting and drinking water to stay cool. University of NSW researchers have found a clear link between dog deaths and hot, humid days, with the risk of mortality increasing by one per cent for every degree above 25C. Animal ecologist from the university and lead author of the analysis of NSW veterinary data, Joy Tripovich, said the findings underlined the seriousness of pet heat stress in a nation prone to hot weather. "Given that we're expecting these extreme weather events to happen with more frequency and intensity mean it's something to make people aware of," Dr Tripovich told AAP. Greater concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are expected to produce more heatwaves, with the Climate Council anticipating double the amount of 35C days each year by 2050 for nearly a third of Australian communities. Authorities had become better at warning people ahead of extremely hot days and Dr Tripovich said those alerts should be heeded for pets. "We can then proactively plan, you know, 'does my dog have access to fresh water, shade and a ventilated area? Can it be kept inside?'," she told AAP. Dogs exhibiting signs of heat stress should be taken to the vet as soon as possible, she said. The analysis of 20 years of state vet data also revealed a sharp spike in dog death risk on public holidays and weekends, irrespective of heat conditions. On public holidays, dog deaths surge a massive 155 per cent. Sundays experience nearly twice as many mortalities compared with other days of the week. There are a number of different explanations for higher dog deaths on weekends and public holidays, including vets are either closed or appointments more expensive. Owners are also more likely to be either taking their dogs out and about, which may put them at greater risk of heat stress due to too much physical activity. Extremely hot days are not friendly to man's best friend. Days above 32C have been linked to a nearly 10 per cent spike in dog death risk, research suggests. Older animals, pets with existing health conditions and flat-faced breeds are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, but all dogs are at risk as they cannot sweat effectively and rely on panting and drinking water to stay cool. University of NSW researchers have found a clear link between dog deaths and hot, humid days, with the risk of mortality increasing by one per cent for every degree above 25C. Animal ecologist from the university and lead author of the analysis of NSW veterinary data, Joy Tripovich, said the findings underlined the seriousness of pet heat stress in a nation prone to hot weather. "Given that we're expecting these extreme weather events to happen with more frequency and intensity mean it's something to make people aware of," Dr Tripovich told AAP. Greater concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are expected to produce more heatwaves, with the Climate Council anticipating double the amount of 35C days each year by 2050 for nearly a third of Australian communities. Authorities had become better at warning people ahead of extremely hot days and Dr Tripovich said those alerts should be heeded for pets. "We can then proactively plan, you know, 'does my dog have access to fresh water, shade and a ventilated area? Can it be kept inside?'," she told AAP. Dogs exhibiting signs of heat stress should be taken to the vet as soon as possible, she said. The analysis of 20 years of state vet data also revealed a sharp spike in dog death risk on public holidays and weekends, irrespective of heat conditions. On public holidays, dog deaths surge a massive 155 per cent. Sundays experience nearly twice as many mortalities compared with other days of the week. There are a number of different explanations for higher dog deaths on weekends and public holidays, including vets are either closed or appointments more expensive. Owners are also more likely to be either taking their dogs out and about, which may put them at greater risk of heat stress due to too much physical activity. Extremely hot days are not friendly to man's best friend. Days above 32C have been linked to a nearly 10 per cent spike in dog death risk, research suggests. Older animals, pets with existing health conditions and flat-faced breeds are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, but all dogs are at risk as they cannot sweat effectively and rely on panting and drinking water to stay cool. University of NSW researchers have found a clear link between dog deaths and hot, humid days, with the risk of mortality increasing by one per cent for every degree above 25C. Animal ecologist from the university and lead author of the analysis of NSW veterinary data, Joy Tripovich, said the findings underlined the seriousness of pet heat stress in a nation prone to hot weather. "Given that we're expecting these extreme weather events to happen with more frequency and intensity mean it's something to make people aware of," Dr Tripovich told AAP. Greater concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are expected to produce more heatwaves, with the Climate Council anticipating double the amount of 35C days each year by 2050 for nearly a third of Australian communities. Authorities had become better at warning people ahead of extremely hot days and Dr Tripovich said those alerts should be heeded for pets. "We can then proactively plan, you know, 'does my dog have access to fresh water, shade and a ventilated area? Can it be kept inside?'," she told AAP. Dogs exhibiting signs of heat stress should be taken to the vet as soon as possible, she said. The analysis of 20 years of state vet data also revealed a sharp spike in dog death risk on public holidays and weekends, irrespective of heat conditions. On public holidays, dog deaths surge a massive 155 per cent. Sundays experience nearly twice as many mortalities compared with other days of the week. There are a number of different explanations for higher dog deaths on weekends and public holidays, including vets are either closed or appointments more expensive. Owners are also more likely to be either taking their dogs out and about, which may put them at greater risk of heat stress due to too much physical activity.
West Australian
6 hours ago
- West Australian
Early to bed, early to rise makes you healthy, Monash University researchers find
Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise the truism goes, but Australian scientists have found a link between people who do not stay up late and better physical activity. Now researchers at Monash University have found the optimal bed time for those looking to increase exercise and physical activity when you wake is 9pm. As part of the study, those who went to bed at 9pm logged a half hour more of moderate-to-vigorous exercise the following day, compared to night owls who did not sleep until 1am. Even those who went to sleep at the study's average sleep time of 11pm recorded 15 minutes fewer physical activity the next day. In good news, the researchers also found people can alter their sleep to improve their exercise, with those who went to sleep earlier than usual and got their regular amount of sleep recording the highest levels of physical activity the next day. Nearly 20,000 sleepers were tracked via a biometric device for a year, resulting in almost six million nights of data. Monash University School of Psychological Sciences' Josh Leota said standard work day may have had an impact on those who go to be later in the evening. 'Standard 9-to-5 routines can clash with the natural sleep preferences of evening types, leading to social jetlag, poorer sleep quality, and increased daytime sleepiness — which can all reduce motivation and opportunity for physical activity the next day,' Dr Leota said. 'These insights carry meaningful implications for public health. 'Rather than just promoting sleep and physical activity independently, health campaigns could encourage earlier bedtimes to naturally foster more active lifestyles. 'A holistic approach that recognises how these two essential behaviours interact may lead to better outcomes for individual and community health.' Senior author Dr Elise Facer-Child said there was a strong relationship between sleep timing and physical activity. 'Sleep and physical activity are both critical to health, but until now we didn't fully grasp how intricately connected they are in everyday life,' she said. 'Our findings are consistent across different populations, and show that if you can get to sleep earlier than usual whilst keeping your sleep duration the same, you may be more likely to increase your physical activity the following day.'
