Tips on Recovering from Night Shifts

by Beth Greenwood, Demand Media

In many ways, today’s world is a 24-hour society. Among the professionals who may be required to work night shifts are health care workers, firefighters, police officers, commercial drivers, convenience store clerks and security officers. The human body is biologically conditioned to be asleep at night, so night shift workers may struggle with insomnia, sleepiness and fatigue on the job as well as other health issues. There are some things you can do to help you recover from night shift work.

Schedule Your Sleep

A regular sleep/wake schedule is very important for shift workers and can make it easier to adapt to or recover from night shift work. The Cleveland Clinic recommends that you keep to the same schedule all the time, including on weekends and days off. If you work night shifts on a regular basis, arrange your life around your sleep schedule, not the other way around. Try to avoid extended work hours, working overtime, long commutes and rotating shifts, as all of these activities can affect your ability to recover.

Circadian Rhythm

The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour biological cycle that responds to light and darkness. Light is particularly important and is the main cue for the circadian rhythm to control the sleep/wake cycle. Your brain produces melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy, in response to decreased levels of light. When you stay up all night and then go out into bright morning sunlight, the brain suppresses melatonin and makes it more difficult for you to sleep during the day. Try wearing dark sunglasses on the way home and going into a darkened bedroom as soon as you get home to help your brain increase melatonin production.

Sleep Recovery

If you are coming off a long stretch of night shifts, you may have built up sleep deprivation, and it will take a while to recover. On the first day, try to go to sleep as soon as you get home. When you wake up, even if you have not had a full rest, get up and spend time in bright sunlight and in normal daily activities. Go to bed early that night and try to sleep all night. Continue to go to bed and get up at the same time each night until your circadian rhythm is back to normal and you no longer have symptoms of daytime sleepiness or fatigue.

Restful Sleep

Recovering from night shift work means you should do everything you can to promote restful sleep. Stimulants such as caffeine can disrupt sleep, especially if taken close to bedtime. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that you avoid caffeine prior to going to sleep. Alcohol initially may make you sleep, but people quickly build up a tolerance to its effects. Ensure that your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet; wear an eye mask and ear plugs or use a small fan to provide white noise while you sleep.

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