Even though it's important to get eight hours of sleep throughout the night, those working night shifts, unfortunately, do not have that possibility. In fact, working night shift often comes with increased wages and reduced administrative hassle. For some families, it actually allows them more flexibility with children and other family obligations. 

So, if you are someone who is required to work night shifts, sometimes, staying up can be hard. But, in order to not lose your job, or worse, have a severe accident, it's crucial to learn how to stay awake. Continue reading for tips for staying awake during night shifts.     

Implement Naps When you Can 

Napping during the evening or night shift can provide you with a much-needed energy boost. Napping on your break can providing you with just enough energy to get you through the rest of your shift. The trick is to not nap too long. If you are going to nap, then the ideal time is anywhere from 10-30 minutes. This prevents you from entering deeper sleep stages which can be hard to wake from, and introduce sleep inertia. 

Not only can you get a well-needed boost during your scheduled breaks, but a quick nap before driving can home can actually improve the safety of your driving. There are many vehicular accidents from drowsy driving. Don't be a part of the statistic. If you are tired, sleep before hitting the road. 

Finding a quiet place can be difficult, but if you can find an unoccupied room or even use your vehicle, then you can hopefully snooze for just a short amount of time. Sleep accessories like eye masks, ear plugs, and travel pillows can improve your sleeping environment. 

Reduce your caffeine intake 

This may sound counterintuitive, but too much caffeine is actually not the key to keeping you awake. It can negatively affect your sleep after your shift ends, which can make it harder to stay up the following night. 

If you do need caffeine to make it through your shift, then a moderate amount in the beginning of your shift can help you through your shift with minimum impact when it's time to go to sleep. 

Coffee naps are also used by shift workers. This is when you consume caffeine right before a nap, as it takes 15-20 minutes for caffeine to kick in. This prevents you from oversleeping and provides you with the energy you need to make it through the rest of your shift. 

Just try to avoid caffeine 3-4 hours before your scheduled bedtime.

Mind your diet 

Staying awake as a shift worker is not just about your sleep patterns. But your diet, and what you put in your body is also important. Eating a balanced diet can be challenging if you work night shifts. People who work night shifts are more susceptible to gastrointestinal problems. These can be symptoms such as indigestion, heartburn, stomach aches, and loss of appetite. 

It can also be harder to eat well when you work night shift. You are often tired, which can impact our ability to make good food decisions. Try packing your lunch, and include fruits and vegetables, lean meat, bread and crackers, and dairy products. Avoid candy, greasy or fast food, and snack cakes, as they can make you feel sluggish, and increase your risk for diabetes.

Also, it's important to try eating your food at the same time everyday, even on the days you don't work. If you work afternoon to evening shift, then plan your largest meal right before you go to work. If you work nights, try to eat small amounts during your shift, and follow that meal with a decent sized breakfast. This can prevent you from becoming hungry while you are asleep. 

Plan your sleep schedule 

Regardless of your work schedule, you should strive to have a sleep schedule. As a shift worker, it's even more important to plan a sleep schedule and try your hardest to not veer from that day to day. 

You have two options, work your schedule and then go to sleep immediately when you get home. This means you will have a few hours to be awake before you go to bed. The other option is to stay awake for a few hours after you get off work, and then sleep right up until you need to get ready for work. This better mimics a standard work day schedule for those with traditional work schedules. 

Additional Tips for Sleep

Keep your workstation brightly lit. Light will help keep you awake, and reduces the amount of melatonin released. This can help your body adjust to the opposite schedule of what it would like to be on. 

If you can, try to exercise during this wake time. You may not feel like it, but exercise is vital for your overall health. Shift workers, specifically, are at higher risk for metabolic diseases like diabetes. Therefore, if you can workout either right before your shift, or right after your shift, you are still receiving the benefits of exercise, including sleep. 

Try to avoid rotation or changing schedules. Shift work is hard on the body, but if you have a set schedule everyday, then you at least can adjust to that instead of constantly needing to readjust. If you do have to work a rotating schedule, see if it's possible to work day to afternoon to night as that progression better aligns with the circadian rhythm. 

Take extra care as sleep-deprived workers have more accidents and errors in the workplace and the commute. This is especially true for newbies to shift work or work longer than they are used to. Make sure to focus on staying as alert as possible, and be vigilant of coworkers who are are the same risk. 

Talk to your doctor about melatonin. Melatonin has been shown to improve sleep for shift-workers who may have inconsistent release patterns. Ensure you take a supplement that has received some type of approval, as melatonin is not FDA approved. 

In addition to improving your sleep, create a solid bedtime and an optimal sleep environment. Your bedtime should be at the same time everyday. And you should sleep in a room that is cold, dark and quiet. This includes buying blackout curtains that shut all the daylight out of your room. All of these elements will help your body adjust to a sleeping time that it is not quite evolutionarily used to.

If you work shifts and are struggling with sleep, then we may be able to help. Click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals.  

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/shift-work-disorder/tips/staying-awake