Sleeping with Shifts

Hello there, I am a front-line worker of Covid-19. Shift work is very difficult to adjust to, you feel tired most days and it can be hard to fall asleep and actually have a restful night's or day's sleep. Usually, we all have a cup of coffee in our hands when on day shifts. I see the staff come in hugging onto their travel mugs like their lives depended on it. I understand the fatigue that you experience, you have been yelled at by patients' families during the day. You took on extra patients when it was not your job, you took another shift because you need the money.

But what you need more than coffee or money is sleep. Without sleep, you can experience work burnout much faster and you can get sick easier as your immune system is tired and cannot fight off the germs. So, sleep is needed. One of the best ways to get a restful night's sleep is to avoid caffeine, it might take some time adjusting but caffeine will provide you with a high then crashes and you get more tired than you already were.

Why is sleep important? Sleep helps prevent mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. If you are sleep-deprived and working in a hospital it can lead you to make mistakes, which can affect another person's life. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to many health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

What can we do to get better sleep?

-Go to sleep at the same time. This can be difficult to achieve for shift workers.

-Have an hour of "quiet time" before heading to bed. That means no blue light screens such as your cellphone or laptop or e-reader. Take this time to try and relax your body. Start with relaxing your toes and build your way up to your neck and head. This small thing can help you get better sleep.

-Have a power nap. Do not sleep for more than forty-five minutes because then your body is in REM sleep. REM sleep stands for rapid eye movement it is the phase that prepares your body for falling asleep and when you wake up during it you will feel more exhausted than when you first start falling asleep. Set an alarm for thirty to forty-five minutes and you will see the difference.

-Avoid stimulants: Caffeine, nicotine. These things can keep you up for 8 hours at a time and then you wonder why you can't sleep.

-Air out your bedroom before sleeping. Clean, fresh air can help you get a better night's sleep. Keep your room cool at night and turn up the heat during the day. You will not be tossing and turning so much. You can open your window when you take a shower and then close it and go straight to bed. You will feel far more refreshed and rejuvenated.

-Meditate before sleep. This can help you relax. Find a meditation video on youtube and just listen to it or get an app with certain noises or sounds that will help you sleep. I use BetterSleep: Relax and sleep this app is completely free and it has all sorts of noise and music to choose from so you can fall asleep easily. It really is amazing and simple to use.

How to set your goals for sleep:

If you feel exhausted during your workday take a nap during your break. I do it all the time people might judge me, but honestly, I feel much better after even twenty minutes of a power nap.

Have "quiet times" where you literally sit and stare at a wall for a few minutes or you sit in a cross-legged yoga pose and close your eyes and just focus on your breathing.

If you feel exhausted it is okay to cancel your plans once in a while. Remember to treat yourself once in a while. It is okay to spoil yourself to some sleep. Especially when the kids are out of the house.

Take a bath before bed and if you don't have time. Take five minutes and soak your feet for a few minutes and go to sleep right away. You will feel much more relaxed and better.

Remember it is important to sleep well. Find something that works for you.

Sleep is the best meditation.