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You come home late (or is it early?). All around you, the neighbours are getting ready for work, while you just returned from your graft. And now you have to sleep, while everyone else is awake. Shift work, right? Having a good sleep routine is important for everyone. But it can be very challenging for someone working the night shift. It is important for these night owls to get the sleep they need during the day so that they are not burnt out at night while having to work. So if you want to prevent that burnout, keep reading. We here at Kooi want to give you some tips on how to create a sleep routine. Whether you’ve got mouths to feed, or you’re a student burning the midnight oil, we’re going to help you build a healthy sleep routine.
How Does Working the Night Shift Affect Sleep Quality?
According to experts, working overnight can wreak havoc on your internal clock that controls sleep-wake cycles. Your internal clock (or circadian rhythm) functions in your brain and regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to light changes in your environment. The visual cue of light triggers your internal clock and alerts your body that it is time to wake up. Shift workers working at night, on the other hand, have to go to sleep when it is light outside. This is quite difficult, as their internal clocks will alert their bodies to be awake which will make it difficult to go to sleep.
Sleep Tips for Nighttime Shift Work
1. Mentally prepare yourself for sleep
Humans are used to staying awake during the day and sleeping at night (internal clock and all). But shift workers have to go against the natural order of the body and this can be problematic. Not only may it be difficult to fall asleep in the morning, but you may also develop a mental block about sleep because it is so difficult to fall asleep.
It turns into a mean feedback loop.
And so it is important to mentally prepare yourself for sleep. Before you hit the hay, make sure that you have removed all distractions from your mind. If you’ve got chores to do, make a to-do list for the next day (or night). Write down anything that you need to remember for the following wake cycle, from birthdays to work-related stuff. This way you won’t be kept awake about all your thoughts of what you have to do once you get up.
2. Stay in the dark
As previously discussed, exposure to light triggers your body to be awake. That is why it is important for shift workers to block out light in order to get to sleep. You can do this by wearing sunglasses if you are driving home from work while the sun is up and you can also invest in blackout curtains to keep the sunlight out of your room.
3. Create a routine
Creating a routine with certain triggers can help you to let your body know that it is time to go to sleep even when the sun is out. If you follow the same routine every time before going to bed then your brain will register that it is time to sleep after doing every activity in your routine.
4. Stick to your bedtime even on off days
It is important to stick to your bedtime even on your off-days. You may want to change your routine to go out with friends during the day. And as enticing as that sounds, that could break your sleep pattern and make it more difficult for you when you go back to work. So, hard as it may be, try to stick to your routine even on your off days.
5. Talk to your peers
Working the night shift can be difficult but it is important to know that you are not alone. Take time to talk to your colleagues and discuss the different frustrations you may have about night shift and the difficulty of the sleep schedule that goes with it.
6. Limit your caffeine intake
This is a tough one. Caffeine can give you a lot of energy and keep you awake while you need to stay alert during the night shit. But on the other hand, it can also keep you awake when you need to catch up on those much-needed zZz’s. That is why, if you do shift work, it is so important to watch your caffeine intake while on the job, even though you may need it to stay awake.
The idea is to eliminate caffeine consumption at least 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.
Shift Work or Not, Why is a Good Sleep Routine Important?
A good sleep routine is directly linked to the quality of sleep you get and sleep is as important (or more) for health as exercise. Good sleep helps to improve your brain performance, health and mood. Not getting restorative sleep increases the risk of diseases like heart disease, dementia and obesity.
The activities you perform before you go to sleep can have a big impact on the quality of sleep you get. This has a specific impact on shift workers because you work all night long, meaning your brains keep running with things to do. It can be specifically difficult if you work in the medical field or as part of the police. Experiencing traumatic events before going to bed can elevate your heart rate and keep you awake longer than planned.
6 Quick and Easy Tips to Help You Sleep During the Day
1. Take a warm shower before going to bed to help with relaxation and decompression.
2. Set a cool temperature in your bedroom to create a cosy sleeping space.
3. Install blackout curtains to keep your room as dark as possible.
4. Sleep under a weighted blanket to help promote deep sleep.
5. Try to do some light exercise when you wake up to make your body more alert.
6. Eating a healthy meal after you wake up like proteins or fresh fruits can help you to feel full for longer.
Sleep Better With Kooi
Still having trouble with shift work and not getting quality sleep? Head over to the Kooi catalogue and check out our technologically advanced mattresses. Maybe that will help you to get those hard-earned zZz’s.