Working the night shift? Protect your health—and happiness—by changing your sleep schedule.
Shift work—where work schedules are outside of the traditional nine-to-five—isn’t just hard work, it’s physically demanding on the body. Many occupations, from food service to medicine and manufacturing work, rely on employees working the night shift. However, the night shift can severely disrupt sleep patterns and make it hard for workers to get the vital rest that they need. Without that sleep, workers are at higher risk for discomfort, reduced executive function, and even long-term health issues.
With careful attention, though, night workers can protect their health by prioritizing healthy sleep patterns. By creating a consistent sleep schedule that allows enough rest time, workers can feel alert, well-rested, and energized—even during the night shift.
What is Shift Work Sleep Disorder?
Many night shift workers struggle with the ramifications of their sleep schedule on their physical health. Most people’s sleep schedule align with their natural circadian rhythms, the 24-hour clock that humans and mammals follow.[1] These rhythms help regulate our sleep patterns as well as our appetite, digestion, hormones, and temperature.
However, shift work contradicts the body’s internal clock, which can make it challenging to fall asleep and stay asleep long enough for the body to reap the benefits of a full night of sleep. Twenty percent of the full-time workforce in the US is involved in shift work, and many of those individuals may experience Shift Work Sleep Disorder.[2] This can come in the form of excessive sleepiness or difficulty sleeping. Without adequate sleep, shift workers are more likely to experience mood swings, irritability, and accidents or errors at work.[3] Over time, lack of sleep can cause health issues like obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and depression.[4]
Why (and how) to Change Your Sleep Schedule for the Night Shift
If your work schedule is moving to non-traditional or nighttime hours, it’s important to prepare for a gradual adjustment so that your body can adjust. Not getting enough sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling groggy or grumpy, but it can have physical ramifications. Creating an intentional, slow transition to your sleep patterns can help you avoid sudden changes and make sure you get enough high-quality sleep each night. A few days before you start night shifts, start tapering your sleep and wake times by about two to three hours. For instance, start getting to bed two hours later and waking up two hours later.
If you change your sleep schedule but continue to have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and are experiencing symptoms like excessive sleepiness, make sure to contact a medical professional. You may have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea that is preventing you from entering deep sleep.
5 Tips to Improve Sleeping Schedules for the Night Shift
- Minimize daylight when leaving work. The circadian rhythm naturally aligns with sunlight, so the body gets tired when it’s dark and alert when it’s light out. Night shift workers must encourage their body’s internal clock to align with their work schedules. One way to do this is to minimize exposure to light on the way home, for instance by wearing sunglasses on the drive home. That can help keep morning light from activating your internal clock.
- Avoid alcohol before bed. While alcohol might help you feel drowsy faster, the quality of sleep after drinking alcohol is greatly reduced.[5] Alcohol disrupts the body’s natural sleep cycle and makes it harder to get the high-quality REM sleep that your body needs. Plus, it can exacerbate sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, all of which can get in the way of a good night’s sleep.[6]
- Develop a relaxing pre-bed routine. Try taking a hot shower or bath, having a hot cup of caffeine-free tea, or meditating before bed. These types of activities can help relax the body and mind, reduce stress, and help the body prepare for a night of deep sleep.[7] Whatever your pre-bed relaxation ritual is, doing it consistently before bed will help signal to the body that it’s time to wind down, and can help you fall asleep faster.
- Create an ideal sleep environment. Setting the conditions for a great night’s sleep is the first step. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.[8] Blackout shades can be a great way to keep out light if you’re sleeping while the sun is out. Try using a white noise machine, which can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by nearly 40 percent.[9]
- Enforce a consistent sleep schedule. One of the most important ways to help improve your sleep is through consistency. It can be tempting to sleep in and try to make up for a sleep deficit on days off, but keeping sleep patterns regular is far more effective. Try to keep to your usual wake and sleep schedule even on days when you’re not working.
FAQs
How do I adjust my sleep schedule after night shift?
When changing your sleep schedule, it’s best to do it gradually over a series of nights. Most people can manage a shifted schedule of about two to three hours at a time. Depending on your target sleep and wake hours, start getting to bed about two to three hours earlier to later and waking up accordingly. That way, your body has time to adjust to a new sleep schedule and is not at risk of losing high-quality sleep during the transition period.
Are night shifts healthy?
In general, a night shift sleep schedule is very hard for people to adapt to because it disrupts the natural circadian rhythms. Many shift workers are continually sleep deprived and get an average of two to four hours less sleep than is best.[10] However, night workers can absolutely improve their sleep patterns and set themselves up for success—in the form of a restful, full night of sleep.
[1] https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx
[2] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12146-shift-work-sleep-disorder
[3] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/shift-work-disorder/symptoms
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/
[5] https://www.sleephealthsolutionsohio.com/blog/foods-avoid-before-sleep/
[6] https://www.cpap.com/blog/alcohol-and-sleep-apnea/
[7] https://www.sleep.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-meditate-before-bed/
[8] https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/sleep-hygiene-tips/
[9] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/noise-and-sleep/white-noise
[10] https://www.uclahealth.org/sleepcenter/coping-with-shift-work
