Squeezed by the staffing

It's similar to running on fumes. A 12-hour shift feels like eternity and we still can't catch our breath. What's happening with these staffing ratios? Went from 1:4 to 1:6. It's disheartening and not fair. If the suits in management had to do a shift with this ratio, they'd probably drop. Wonder how others are coping with this.