What are shift workers?<\/h2>\n
The National Sleep Foundation states that anyone who follows a schedule outside of the normal 9 am to 5 pm workday is considered a shift worker. In the past, I\u2019ve worked around some interesting schedules and have definitely made sacrifices in terms of my sleep.![\"city](\"https:\/\/restonic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/city-at-night.jpg\")
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- Afternoons<\/strong> \u2013 Quite a few of my past jobs required me to work afternoons, typically 3 pm \u2013 11 pm or something similar. When I managed a group home for mentally challenged adults, this was my schedule. While it might be an easy-to-manage shift for a night owl, an early bird<\/a> such as myself found it hard to function most nights. I found that an afternoon nap before going in at 3 pm, helped me stay awake until the end of my shift. But I always dreaded being called in earlier in the afternoon \u2013 even 2:30 pm \u2013 as it robbed me of the chance to take a nap<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- Overnights<\/strong> \u2013 Working overnight from 11 pm \u2013 7 am has a host of unpleasant challenges. When I worked full-time at a 24-hour coffee shop, this was my schedule from Sunday to Thursday. Even when I was younger (and more of a night owl), I found this schedule difficult to maintain. From the 30,000 ft. perspective, it might look as though there 16 hours to choose from for sleep. In reality, I was tired all the time. On the weekends, I spent time with friends and family and slept at night like everyone else, which reset my body to a regular schedule. Each Sunday, I had to switch back to my overnight schedule, which was hard on my body, to say the least.<\/li>\n
- Rotational Shifts<\/strong> \u2013 This was easily the worst of all my jobs. When I was 18, after I finished high school, I took a year off to work and save money before attending college. I worked at a factory for an automobile manufacturer, making seats for SUVs. The worst part of the job was the schedule. For two weeks, I worked days 7 am \u2013 3:30 pm and then switched to evenings from 5:30 pm – 2 am. My body never got used to this constantly rotating schedule. I don\u2019t understand how I was a benefit to the company because I wasn\u2019t an asset to myself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The sad truth is that millions of people work shifts like these because it\u2019s good for business in a global economy or they provide an essential service in the wee hours of the night. While this is great news for\u00a0our ever-connected 24\/7 world and the companies that profit from this increased productivity, it\u2019s not so great for employees who work these shifts. As the National Sleep Foundation points out, this type of non-typical shift has \u201cmany inherent risks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of the drawbacks to excessive sleepiness can be:<\/p>\n
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- Poor concentration<\/li>\n
- Absenteeism<\/li>\n
- Accidents<\/li>\n
- Errors<\/li>\n
- Injuries<\/li>\n
- Fatalities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Not only does being constantly tired affect on-the-job performance, but it also has risks in terms of long term health<\/a>. Shift workers have an increased risk of developing chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and gastrointestinal diseases.<\/p>\n
On a personal level, working on a non-traditional schedule can also mean less time with family. My dad worked evenings as a mechanic for years and the only time that we saw him growing up was weekends and before school. He came home after work at close to midnight \u2013 well past our bedtime. It wasn\u2019t until high school that we stayed up late enough to see dad come home from work too.<\/p>\n
Shift work sleep disorder<\/h2>\n
The International Classifications of Sleep Disorders indicates that shift work sleep disorder is considered a serious sleep disorder because it affects the 24-hour rhythmic output of the human biological clock. People suffer from both sleep disturbance and excessive sleepiness in trying to adapt to a shift work schedule.
\nSymptoms of shift work sleep disorder
\n\u2022 Excessive sleepiness is probably the most common
\n\u2022 Insomnia
\n\u2022 Disrupted sleeping schedules
\n\u2022 Reduced performance
\n\u2022 Difficulties with personal relationships
\n\u2022 Irritability\/depressed mood<\/p>\nWhile understanding shift work sleep disorder is important, the treatment is a little more puzzling. There are some behavioral and pharmacological remedies that may help relieve symptoms, but research indicates the human body may never fully adapt to shift work.<\/p>\n
So how do you get enough sleep as a shift worker?<\/h2>\n
One of the things that always helped me (and I\u2019m still a big fan of today) is the afternoon nap<\/a>. Getting enough sleep is essential to a healthy life and even a short nap during the day (or on a lunch break) can help you to get through the rest of your shift.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re at home and trying to sleep while the rest of the world is awake, try blackening out your room to create the illusion of night. Avoid things like caffeine and alcohol <\/a>as they\u2019ll make it harder to sleep and try to stick to the same sleep routine as much as possible, even on weekends.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a shift worker, you might find some help sleeping with some advice from our Sleep
\nBlog:<\/p>\n- \n
- 10 Simple Ways to Get A Better Night\u2019s Sleep<\/a><\/li>\n
- Lighting & Better Sleep<\/a><\/li>\n
- Smoothie Recipes with Sleep Enhancing Ingredients<\/a><\/li>\n
- Natural Sleep Remedies<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Are you a shift worker? What do you do to ensure you\u2019re well-rested for work? Are there any tricks or advice you have? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below. We\u2019d love to hear how you can sleep.<\/p>\n
- Lighting & Better Sleep<\/a><\/li>\n
- 10 Simple Ways to Get A Better Night\u2019s Sleep<\/a><\/li>\n
- Overnights<\/strong> \u2013 Working overnight from 11 pm \u2013 7 am has a host of unpleasant challenges. When I worked full-time at a 24-hour coffee shop, this was my schedule from Sunday to Thursday. Even when I was younger (and more of a night owl), I found this schedule difficult to maintain. From the 30,000 ft. perspective, it might look as though there 16 hours to choose from for sleep. In reality, I was tired all the time. On the weekends, I spent time with friends and family and slept at night like everyone else, which reset my body to a regular schedule. Each Sunday, I had to switch back to my overnight schedule, which was hard on my body, to say the least.<\/li>\n