Lifestyle tips for shift workers

One of the best things you can do is to regulate your sleep schedule as much as possible. Constantly trying to sleep at different times can make it very difficult for you to adopt a regular pattern of tiredness and alertness, meaning that you may struggle to stay awake at work and fall asleep when back home. Set yourself a sleeping schedule that makes sense according to your shifts, and try not to vary this a lot on your days off. 

Make sure your schedule allows for a solid 7 or 8 hours of sleep every 24 hours. This can even be broken sleep if your schedule doesn’t allow for a solid 8 hours at one time. If you work a rotating shift pattern, try to slowly adjust your sleeping schedule over time rather than instantly switching to a completely different pattern when your shifts change. This will help your body get used to its new pattern of tiredness and alertness.

If you’re struggling to set a sleeping schedule that works for you, try tracking your sleep to identify patterns over time. For example, you should record sleep times, waking times, and overall sleep duration, and note down how you feel on each day. If you’re too fatigued, adjust your sleeping pattern (e.g., by increasing your sleep duration each day) to see if things improve. Over time, you will hopefully identify your optimum amount of sleep per day and when you find it easier to fall asleep and wake up, allowing you to set a sleeping schedule that works for you.

The best sleep schedule for night shift workers is to sleep as consistently as possible and get the full 8 hours per 24 hours, as explained above. However, if your body is still struggling with being alert at night, you should try having a nap or short sleep before your night shift. This can give you an extra burst of energy and help you feel prepared for work, as long as you have enough time to properly wake up before your shift starts.

If you’re a long-term shift worker, you may find that these naps become unnecessary as you establish a more consistent sleeping schedule. However, if you’re struggling to adjust, these naps can give you a bit more help.

Here at alsico, our healthcare uniforms and emergency response workwear are designed to be durable, smart and comfortable, so you’re able to do everything you need as a busy shift worker, including walk, run, rest and stretch. So, if you ever need a quick power nap to get through your next shift, you won’t be restricted by uncomfortable clothing.

Sleep hygiene refers to habits and environmental factors that you can adjust to give you the best chance of getting good sleep. Setting a consistent sleeping schedule is one example of good sleep hygiene, but there are also other factors you should pay attention to if you want to reduce the risk of issues like insomnia.

Another key tip for improving sleep hygiene is to make sure your bedroom is optimised for good sleep. Avoid using your bedroom, and especially your bed, for other activities like working, exercising, or watching TV. This is because you want your mind to associate your bed and bedroom with sleeping rather than wakefulness. 

You can also improve your bedroom environment to make it easier to sleep in, even during the middle of the day. For example, you can use blackout blinds or heavy curtains to keep the room dark when you need to sleep, as too much light exposure will make you feel more awake. It’s also a good idea to make your bedroom a cooler temperature, because this can improve sleep quality.

For night shift workers in particular, it can be difficult to get good, uninterrupted sleep when everyone else is going about their day. However, you can try to reduce distractions as much as possible to help you get good sleep, such as by putting your phone on silent mode, wearing earplugs, or playing white noise to drown out sounds from outside.

If you live with other people, it’s best to have a conversation with them about your shift patterns so they know when to keep quiet and avoid disturbing you. If you’re still getting woken up by noises outside, you can also try having a conversation with your neighbours. By opening up this dialogue, you can work out when noisy activities should be kept to a minimum and figure out a solution that works for everyone.

Just like with sleep, it’s important to find a suitable eating routine and stick to it as much as possible. This will keep your digestion regular and help you avoid energy crashes when you need to be alert.

Eating meals at regular, consistent intervals helps to regulate your blood sugar throughout the day, which means you can maintain a stable source of energy and avoid crashes. Regular mealtimes also play a part in regulating your circadian rhythm, helping you maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

It’s best to stick to healthy meals rather than reaching for sugary snacks to give you an energy boost during your shift. Healthy foods (including fruit, salad, vegetables and complex carbohydrates like rice and pasta) release energy more slowly and consistently, whereas sugary snacks and simple carbohydrates can be digested more quickly to release bursts of energy, causing you to crash later on. Plus, heavy, fatty or spicy meals can be more difficult to digest and lead to drowsiness, whereas lighter, healthy meals and snacks at regular intervals will release energy more sustainably and prevent you from feeling too tired.

When it comes to timing your meals, you might benefit from scheduling a light meal or snack after your shift if you work at night, rather than going straight to sleep. Going to bed hungry can lead to poorer quality sleep or cause you to wake up early, so to try and be as well-rested as possible, you can eat a breakfast-type meal beforehand. However, don’t eat a heavy, spicy or fatty meal before going to bed, as this will be harder to digest and may disturb your sleep.

It’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re busy, but it’s so important to stay hydrated while you’re working. Dehydration can worsen your physical and mental performance, as well as lead to digestive issues, headaches and kidney problems in the long term. Plus, it’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so drinking plenty of water can help you avoid snacking on unhealthy foods. Take a reusable water bottle with you to work and refill it as needed.

Many shift workers rely on stimulants like coffee and energy drinks to help them stay alert during their shifts, but too much caffeine can be problematic. While some coffee at the start of your shift can give you an extra boost, we would recommend avoiding drinking too much caffeine and especially drinking caffeine near the end of your shift, as this can disrupt your sleep. 

Sometimes, those who rely too much on caffeine during their shift feel like they need to resort to depressants like alcohol or sleeping pills to help them sleep once they get home, but this can lead to a vicious cycle of relying on substances to wake up and get to sleep. Limiting your caffeine intake and implementing a healthy sleep schedule is a much better way to improve your long-term alertness and health.