Working The Night Shift
Planning a Sleep Schedule
It is recommended that adults aged between 18 and 64 years get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each day to stay healthy and function at their best. While there is some room for deviation, ensure that you sleep for no less than 6 hours and no more than 10 hours per day.
Assuming that your shift starts at 9 pm and ends at 5 am and your commute lasts an average of 30 minutes, you are left with about 15 hours each day for personal time and sleep.
As one would on a traditional 9-5 work schedule, some night shift workers choose to stay up for a few hours after leaving work before going to sleep. Others opt for the split-nap routine. Here, the worker takes a moderate nap as soon as they get home, wakes up for a few hours, then takes a longer nap in the hours preceding their shift.
Regardless of your preferred option, both are effective, according to experts. The goal is to schedule your sleep so that you wake up close to the beginning of your shift. In addition, try and ensure that you go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day, and yes, even on the weekends and when on vacation.
If possible, request to work the same shift each day instead of following a rotating work schedule where you work at different times during your shifts. Having a fixed shift schedule allows your body’s circadian rhythm to adjust to your working hours. A rotating shift schedule, on the other hand, forces you to readjust after every few days, which makes it hard for your body to achieve a natural sleep rhythm.
If you must follow a rotating shift schedule, find out if you can rotate forward (move day-swing-night-morning shifts in said order), instead of following a random rotating shift pattern or rotating backward (requiring you to sleep progressively earlier). Rotating forward makes it much easier for your circadian rhythm to adjust to your new working hours as sleep progressively later.
Creating a Sleep-Friendly Environment
Your bedroom should be your sleep oasis. The ideal bedroom space is in which you feel completely relaxed and ready to sleep as soon as you enter. Find out which Ikea bed frames to buy to suit your style. Here are some expert tips on how to achieve this:
Minimize the amount of light in the room: Exposure to sunlight is one of the key hindrances to quality daytime sleep. Consider putting up blackout curtains or other thick window coverings to minimize the amount of outside light entering your home. You can also invest in a quality eye mask.
Keep out unwanted noises: Outside noises are another obstacle to quality daytime sleep. Earplugs are effective in minimizing noise-related distractions. You can also invest in a white noise machine to help you relax and drown out unwanted sounds.
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature: Most sleep experts suggest that 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius) is the ideal temperature for sleep. Keeping in mind that the body cools down naturally at night, you don’t have to worry about feeling too warm. But if you need to adjust, 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to19.4 Celsius) is generally considered a comfortable range.
Switch off your phone: While this might not be an option if your job requires you to be on-call, switching off your phone before going to sleep will help to prevent disturbances during the day. Additionally, you should refrain from looking at your smartphone or any other devices that emit light of a blue wavelength, including TVs, laptops, and tablets.
Discuss your situation with housemates: Disruptions from family or roommates can make sleeping during the day almost impossible. So, talk to them and ensure that they understand why it is important for you to not be disturbed. You can keep the door closed to avoid disruptions.
