Hardworking caucasian worker in working clothes leaning on big valve and sleepingContrary to the standard nine-to-five work day that many Americans are familiar with, shift work is a job that requires showing up to work during non-traditional hours.

If you’ve landed on this page, you probably have a feeling that your sleep and energy is impacted by shift work. Or maybe you’re watching a loved one struggle through their shift work and feeling helpless.

This usually looks like early morning shifts, graveyard shifts or rotating night shifts. It’s also defined by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine as work that falls outside of the hours of 6 am to 7 pm. Often, firefighters, police officers, paramedics, factory workers, doctors, nurses and even food industry workers all have this lifestyle in common. These jobs and their schedules are demanding; and as many as 20% of workers in industrialized nations work night or rotating shifts.

But where this lifestyle most often disrupts your wellbeing is with your sleep-wake cycle. Our circadian rhythms are greatly influenced by natural light and darkness. This signals to our body when it’s time to sleep and wake-up. If we go against these natural cycles or if we maintain irregular sleep patterns, our health might be compromised.

So where does this leave you or your loved one? 

There’s no need to panic yet. But you do want to take necessary steps to have a better grip on your sleep as soon as possible.

If you continue going down this road of irregular sleep patterns at non-traditional hours, you’re at a higher risk of shift work sleep disorder. In this article, we’ll dive into what this is, how it affects you and how to manage healthy sleep while working a shift based job.

What is shift work sleep disorder?

Shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder. The person experiences insomnia and excessive sleepiness as a result of working a job that overlaps with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. You’re essentially sleeping against the clock: yours and society’s. In order to receive an official diagnosis, symptoms such as consistent fatigue and reduced alertness, have to go on for at least one to three months.

It’s estimated that around 10 to 40 percent of shift workers will experience shift work sleep disorder. The recurring sleep loss and exhaustion can lean towards a spiral that affects your health, memory, focus, mood and relationships.

You have difficulty concentrating. You’re not refreshed. You’re feeling depressed. And your energy levels, well…they’ve been better. This is potentially dangerous if you need to be very alert and operate machinery for your job.

What happens if I’m diagnosed with shift work sleep disorder?

Some long-term effects and complications that are likely to happen from shift work sleep disorder include:

  • Higher risk for health issues: from short-term illnesses like colds to long-term complications like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disorders

  • Increased chances of car crashes: drivers that commute after overnight work and are driving while drowsy is one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes

  • Poor diet: getting inadequate sleep can lead to making poor diet choices and unhealthy eating habits. This also leads to higher risk of obesity down the line

  • Alcohol and drug dependency: trying to cope by abusing alcohol or drugs is another potential concern

So that all sounds a little frightening. And we understand that you might not be able to change your whole career around at this point. But there are some changes you can make, at work and at home, to relieve or prevent shift work sleep disorder.

9 tips for better sleep as a shift worker

Use sleep aides when necessary

Sleeping pills are helpful for short-term assistance. This is because you don’t want to become dependent on them and they generally become less effective the more you use them anyways.

Talk to your doctor about possible medicinal remedies that might work for you. Alternatively, over-the-counter melatonin supplements help your body know it’s time for sleep without knocking you out completely.

Amend your work schedule as best you can

Of course, we’re not saying that you need to demand an entirely different schedule. But if you can talk to your manager about a compromise that has you in a position to be a better employee, you’ll both be better off for it.

It’s best to avoid frequently rotating shifts and follow a schedule that flows clockwise, because this is easier to adjust to. Shifts that flow in a sporadic pattern are hard on your body, mind and sleep-wake cycle. In this way, if you have to rotate through shifts, follow this pattern:

Day shift, evening shift, night shift, morning shift, repeat. 

Additionally, try not to work a number of night shifts in a row. Limit night shifts to 5 in a row or less and schedule days off in between.

Keep the same sleep schedule

This is a hard tip to follow, especially if you live under the same roof as a significant other and children. But it’s extremely important for your health. If you work a night shift, it’s important to stay on the same sleep schedule, even on weekends and your days off. You need to maintain as consistent a routine as possible.

Try to create a sleep schedule ahead of time so your body gets used to waking up closer to the time when you have to start your next shift.

Incorporate naps

Another approach that works for some night shift workers involves split-napping. This might look like taking a nap for a few hours when you get home from work in the morning and then taking a longer nap that will end around the time you have to go back into work for the evening or night. This will improve your alertness and energy for your shift. Refer to this article on the optimal timing and length for naps. Not to mention, it might help you get better sleep.

Limit caffeine intake later in your shift

One cup of coffee at the beginning of your shift is fine, as this is similar to people having a cup of coffee in the morning before the start of a traditional work-day. However, unlike these workers who may have another cup or two in the afternoon, you should avoid consuming caffeine later in your shift.

You’re already going against your body’s ingrained rhythm, so adding a ton of caffeine into the mix can really make it difficult to get quality rest. To wean off coffee, check out these four tips.

Exercise regularly and eat healthy

Take care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet full of nutritous fruits, vegetables, proteins and powerfoods. And get plenty of exercise when you can, during work breaks, once you return home from work or in between split-napping.

Ask family and friends to respect your sleep

If you share a home with loved ones, they also play a large role in your sleep quality as a shift worker. It might be tempting for you and them to accommodate a reversal of schedules, but it’s important that they understand when you’re sleeping and respect that. Set up a calendar and boundaries to keep them from disrupting you.

Keep it dark

As mentioned previously, melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in our body that activates our sleep-wake cycle based on natural light. Therefore, counter the effects of daylight by wearing dark, wraparound sunglasses or goggles on your way home from work.

Use an eye mask, blackout blinds or heavy curtains to block sunlight if you have to sleep during the day.

Use light therapy

If you’re working against your natural circadian rhythm and traditional work hours, then the biggest goal is to adjust your body’s sleep cycle so you can get decent sleep when you need it. 

Once you’ve woken up and you’re getting ready for work at night, expose yourself to artificial light, whether through a light box or lamp. Doing so will help you stay alert, in addition to swaying your body’s internal clock in your favor.

Make your sleep a priority

We hope you find the above tips helpful, but keep in mind that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. At the end of the day, the most important thing for you to do is prioritize your sleep as a shift worker. If you don’t, shift work sleep disorder is certainly something you’re at risk for.

While we’re not diagnosing you in this article, we want to give you the tools to help you live your best life as a shift worker—which starts with getting quality sleep every night. If you are concerned with your consistent inability to sleep, then consult a healthcare practitioner.