If you have recently transitioned to working night shifts, then you need to make some sweeping lifestyle changes. While the first few weeks are going to be tough, you should be able to get plenty of sleep as long as you plan ahead. Here is a quick look at five simple tips and tricks that will help you make it through your night shift life.
Avoid Alcohol and Other Depressants
Having a drink after work is tempting for many people who work the night shift, but relying on depressants and sleep aids can be dangerous. Those products may help you fall asleep, but your sleep isn’t going to be restful. It is also important to note that mixing alcohol with sleep aids is extremely dangerous.
Understand Sleep Science
Darkness triggers the pineal gland to secrete more melatonin which helps you fall asleep so if you are trying to go to sleep as the sun is coming up it is difficult for your body. You should take steps to ensure that your bedroom is dark either by using “blackout drapes” or by wearing an eye mask for sleep. You might also consider taking Melatonin to help trigger your body’s circadian rhythms. According to Medical News Today Circadian rhythms are the daily rhythms of the body, including signals that make someone feel tired, sleep, wake up, and feel alert around the same time each day. Melatonin plays a part but more is not always better often smaller amounts of Melatonin work better than larger doses. If driving home from work as the sun is coming up you should wear blue light blocking “sunglasses” to prevent your eyes from absorbing blue light that can affect your melatonin levels.
Use Stimulants Wisely
Even though caffeinated drinks can be very useful, you need to be careful about when you consume them. Drinking multiple cups of coffee or tea throughout your shift will make it difficult to fall asleep when you get home. As a general rule, you shouldn’t consume any caffeine within three-four hours of your bedtime.
Continue to Exercise
It might seem like exercising is going to tire you out, but training could actually improve the quality of sleep that you get. Exercising a few times a week is also going to trigger the production of key hormones that balance out your energy levels. Most experts agree that relatively healthy adults should try to exercise for at least 150 minutes a week but once again, not right before bed. You would think exercise would make you tired but it actually gets your blood pumping and wakes you up. Better to get up earlier and exercise to get you going before work than to stimulate your body right before bed. However, getting enough exercise early in your day can help you sleep better when the time comes.
Be Strict with Your Sleep Routine
According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per day. When you aren’t able to sleep for at least seven hours, your body is going to build up a sleep debt, and that will impact almost every facet of your health. That is why you must come up with a strict sleep routine that you follow every single day. If you have trouble getting enough sleep during the day when not at work, be sure to consult your primary care physician about your sleep issues. It is also best to maintain the same routine on your days off being awake during the daytime will throw off your sleep schedule for several days after you return to work.
Create a Relaxing Environment in Your Bedroom
Getting to sleep after a hectic shift is going to be very difficult if your bedroom is bright and noisy. Luckily, turning your bedroom into a relaxing getaway is a relatively easy project that shouldn’t take more than an afternoon. In addition to investing in blackout curtains or shutters to create a dark environment, you might want to buy a white noise machine as well. This will help you block out any distracting ambient noise from everyday life. You should also make sure that your bedroom at a comfortable temperature generally this means, cool but not too cold.
Working through the night can be difficult, but it won’t be impossible as long as you stick to a rigid routine. Once you have successfully altered your circadian rhythm, sticking to your new sleep schedule is going to be much easier.
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