Working during the night shift means having to adapt your life accordingly; the main difficulty is to change one's circadian rhythm. Fortunately, there are techniques to make even night shifts easier… read on to find out more.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: General Directions
Step 1. Exercise and eat healthily
Exercising before your work shift will help keep your energy levels high and stay healthy. Eating healthy will also keep you alert and fit.
- Do not exercise before sleep: Raising your energy levels before bedtime would not make any sense.
- Don't eat before bedtime.
- Effectively plan your meal times.
- If you feel you need a boost during the night, have a light snack. In these circumstances, whole grains will prove to be an excellent ally.
- Try to avoid sweet snacks as while providing an initial energy boost, they will make you feel even more tired in the long run.
Step 2. Get to grips with your agenda
Even if you work at night, you will have to cope with daytime responsibilities and commitments. Organize your schedule so that because of work you are not forced to neglect other important aspects of your life, such as relationships with your family.
- Find time to meet friends and family.
- Schedule time to take care of normal daily errands, such as grocery shopping or going to the bank.
- Find out about the shops and businesses that offer their services even during the evening or night hours.
- If you have trouble completing an assignment during the day, ask a friend or family member for help.
- There is no perfect organizational scheme for everyone: experiment and try to find the one that best suits your needs.
Step 3. Try relying on stimulants and sedatives
Before you go to work, have a coffee, tea, or any other caffeinated beverage - it will help you stay awake and more focused. Once back home, relax by drinking a warm herbal tea with slightly sedative properties, prepared for example with lavender or chamomile flowers.
- Stop taking caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime.
- Before taking any sedative drugs to promote sleep, consult your doctor.
Step 4. Pay attention to your physical and mental health
Night shifts are known to cause specific health problems. If you notice any of the following symptoms or complaints, consider seeing your doctor or changing your personal or work schedule:
- Reduction in the quality or quantity of sleep.
- Constant exhaustion.
- Anxiety or depression.
Step 5. Get the cooperation of your family members
Make sure your family members know your needs and make a commitment not to disturb you when you need to sleep. To do this, inform them about your work and rest times. Don't overlook the need to spend quality time with friends and loved ones and plan your days accordingly.
- Ask the people who live with you to do what they can not to make noise and not to disturb you while you sleep.
- Plan ahead for time to meet friends and family.
- Maintaining an active social life will help you combat the effects of loneliness that comes from working at night.
Method 2 of 3: Finding the Right Balance
Step 1. Study the circadian rhythm
The circadian rhythm involves both physical and mental changes that occur throughout the 24-hour period of the day, and is highly connected to the times of sleep and wakefulness. What most affects the circadian rhythm is exposure to light and dark.
- Exposure to light communicates to the body the need to become and remain active.
- When the optic nerve detects an absence or scarcity of light, the body produces melatonin, the substance responsible for the feeling of sleepiness.
Step 2. Go to sleep as soon as you get home from work
Do not stay up after the hours imposed by the work shift. Immediately go home and go to bed. Remaining awake further would cause an unnecessary imbalance in the circadian rhythm.
- Get to work by taking the shortest route.
- Strive to stay alert on the way home.
- If you start to feel too sleepy while driving, stop and take a break.
Step 3. Maintain a regular sleep pattern
Whatever the hours that suit you best, stick to them. Over time, maintaining a regular sleep pattern will help you establish a natural rhythm that will allow you to sleep better and rest effectively.
- If you need to occasionally change your schedule, re-establish your normal sleep pattern as quickly as possible.
- If possible, change your sleep habits very slowly and gradually.
- Even when you are free from work commitments, keep your schedule constant.
- Changing your sleep pattern could greatly reduce the quality and quantity of your sleep.
Step 4. Get enough sleep
Your sleep should be long, deep and restorative. Being able to fall asleep and wake up at set times may not be easy, so constantly monitor the hours and quality of your sleep.
- Record the quality and quantity of your sleep in a diary.
- The general rule is that 8 hours of sleep should be ideal, but remember that every person is different.
- Pay attention to how your body feels - get more sleep if you think you need it.
- Working at night doesn't mean you can afford to give up the hours of sleep you need to stay healthy.
Step 5. Make gradual changes
If possible, don't force yourself to get used to the new night-to-night schedules. Ideally you should maintain a regular sleep pattern over time, so when shifts don't allow for it, it's important to help your body accept changes.
- If you know a shift change is coming, start changing your schedule a few nights in advance.
- On the nights leading up to the night shifts, go to bed a little later than usual.
- Changing your sleep pattern gradually will make it easier for you to transition to the new hours, allowing you to be more productive at work.
Method 3 of 3: Managing Exposure to Light and Noise
Step 1. Darken your bedroom
Use heavy curtains to block out the sunlight. The brain interprets exposure to light as a signal that it is time to wake up. In a perfectly dark bedroom you will sleep much better.
Keep other rooms in the house dark too, for example the bathroom, in case you need to use it before the alarm time
Step 2. On the way home, wear a pair of sunglasses
If you expose yourself to sunlight, you will have a harder time falling asleep.
- Don't stop running errands.
- Choose the shortest way.
Step 3. Keep your workplace bright
Although artificial, the light will help you stay awake and alert. When the eyes are exposed to bright light, the body knows it needs to stay awake. Bright artificial light replicates the daylight you are exposed to during normal work shifts.
- Dim artificial lights could cause unwanted sleepiness.
- Similar to sunlight, UV lamps can also induce vitamin D production.
Step 4. Block out noises
Like light, noises can cause the body to wake up. To ensure the hours of sleep you need, you will need to protect your bedroom from outside noise. Here are some useful indications about it:
- Use ear plugs.
- Use a pair of headphones with an active noise cancellation system.
- Cover the noises with a white sound reproducer.
- Ask your family members to do what they can to respect the silence during your rest hours.
- If possible, turn off your phone or turn off its sound notifications.
Advice
- If possible, adjust your shifts gradually to give yourself time to adjust to the new hours.
- Stay active during the night. Work hard and move often to keep your energy levels high.
- Whenever possible, expose yourself to sunlight to allow your body to make vitamin D.
- Respect your sleep pattern.
- In the moments leading up to sleep, avoid eating, exercising, taking caffeine or exposing yourself to light.
Warnings
- Don't abuse products and medications that help regulate sleep.
- Monitor your health. Working at night could negatively affect him.
- If you have migraines, difficulty concentrating or constant fatigue, see your doctor.
