Night Shift Sleep Tips

Few people like night shift and one of the greatest reasons for this are that most people don’t sleep very well during the day. It is a well-documented fact that people who work regular night shift are at a greater risk of injuries, illness and generally lack of wellbeing than those who enjoy the consistency and normality of a day job. I’ve been a paramedic, a nurse and a hospital wardsperson since I left high school 15 years ago, and in that time I have only ever worked shift work that involves night shift. These are my night shift sleep tips: 

1. Catch up on your sleep on your days off. If you are already run down and sleep deprived before you start night shift your body will often find that it is over-tired and unable to sleep. 

2. Set up your sleeping environment. My wife and I both work night shift, so we have spent the extra money to have the necessities of our employment. Make it dark – really dark. We have metal block out shutters and block out curtains. If this still isn’t dark enough, try an eye mask. Make it cold. Your body naturally likes to sleep when it is cooler (this has come from many years of sleeping during the night when it is cooler). Consequently, you are better off sleeping in a cooled environment. We have ducted air conditioning. 

3. Make it quiet – if possible, try and set up a quiet room of the house, which is positioned the furthest away from traffic and outside noises. If this is not possible, consider using ear plugs. Make sure that they’re disposable and change them daily. Ear infections don’t help with sleeping either. 

4. Avoid stimulants, such as caffeine and energy drinks. Yes, I know that they help you get through the night shift, but you will regret it when you try to sleep afterwards! This goes for illegal stimulants too. 

5. Avoid using drugs or alcohol as a means of falling asleep. Prescribed sleeping pills may be fine short term or as a once off when you have been having real trouble sleeping, but long term use leads to addiction and dependencies. 

6. Try exercising daily. Exercise releases natural endorphins which help with sleeping. 

7. Don’t try to go to bed immediately after night shift. Try to unwind for an hour and then go to sleep. This is an important time in which you physically and mentally can differentiate between your “work” time and your “sleep” time. Research into Night Shift Nursing has identified that most people require a decompressive time, in which to eat, relax and watch an episode of a favourite TV show and really make the switch from work to sleep time. 

8. Avoid eating a big meal before bed. This is no different from going to bed on a full stomach in the evening. Likewise, avoid going to bed hungry, that’s just another reason to keep you awake! 

9. If you work a permanent night shift, it is a good idea to keep a regular sleep routine on your days off too. This is rarely useful for paramedics who generally work a rotating roster involving some days and some nights. If you are on a rotating roster, evidence has suggested that the body is far more inclined to move from a morning shift, through to an afternoon shift, followed by nights rather than the other way round. One benefit of a rotating roster is that you do not have to work a number of night shifts in a row, which has also been proven to have significant health risks. 

10. Try not to have a long commute to and from work on night shift. Every minute that you spend travelling to and from work is taking away from your potential sleep time.

11. Try to avoid bright lights for about an hour before you go to bed.