Clocking Off – Sleep Advice for Shift Workers

Shift workers follow a schedule that falls outside of the typical working day. This often means a mixture of both early morning and late night shifts during a single week. People who fall into this category include police officers, nurses and construction workers.

The pattern of work often makes it difficult to maintain a regular sleeping routine; so much so that shift workers can be prone to a number of sleep related issues, such as excessive sleepiness, fatigue and insomnia.

So how can you create the consistency you need to be master of your bedtime?

The key, is routine.

Because a shift worker’s bedtime changes during the week, sleep should been informed by environmental cues rather than the hour.

Sleep Advice for Shift Workers

Diet

One key factor to consider is food.

Eat at a fixed time before bed, and avoid anything heavy two hours before you intend to sleep. If you do get hungry just before hitting the hay, a light snack like peanut butter on rice cakes is a good option. Note – please don’t eat nuts if you have a nut allergy.

Relaxation

You may also want to include some relaxation in your routine, to help your body understand when it’s time to sleep.

Breathing techniques before bedtime can help to reduce stress levels and help you to switch off. The 4-7-8 method involves breathing in for four seconds, holding for seven, and releasing for eight. Yoga and meditation before bed can also help to induce sleep.

What to Avoid

There are also a few things that you should try to omit from your bedtime routine.

• Caffeine and alcohol should be avoided as early as six hours before you intend to sleep
• Work, computer games and screens should be avoided one hour before bed.
• Pets in the bedroom should also be avoided: animals in general have different sleep patterns to humans, so will often disturb us when we’re trying to get some shuteye.
• If you have to travel from work to home during the day, wear sunglasses to prevent sunlight repressing your natural melatonin production.

Consistency

As with most things in life, consistency is key.

No matter what time you go to bed, always try to sleep for the same amount of time. Ideally this should be seven hours. If you don’t quite hit your target and feel sleepy the next day, short naps can help to boost your energy levels – but don’t sleep for any more that 40 minutes at a time.

Keeping your bedroom as dark as possible will certainly help so the investment in some blackout blinds will most certainly help to keep light out and the temperature down.

Even if you get home from work and feel ready to hit the sack immediately, it is best practice to try to follow your the sleeping routine described above. This will help you to create an association between your routine and sleep, vital for those times when you find it less easy to switch off.

Are You Sleeping in the Right Bed?

A major factor in sleep quality is your bed. It should be comfortable and aligned to your body, as well as allowing enough room for you and anyone else you share it with.

If you would like more information about choosing the right bed for your needs, click on the following link to locate nearest Kaymed stockist, and for more information on beds, click here.