It may be that you have taken on night shift work to make extra money while you are looking for that first rung on the career ladder. Or perhaps you are a trainee nurse or doctor, or you work in highway construction. Whether you are stacking supermarket shelves, digging concrete, pouring last drinks in a bar or working as a caregiver, night work doesn’t automatically come naturally. Below is some advice on how to survive the night shift if you’re not actually a night owl.
Circadian Rhythm
Your circadian rhythm is part of your internal biological clock. This regulates sleeping and eating patterns, alertness and body temperature. Working the night shift can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm. It can make you fatigued, hungry, less alert and more vulnerable to making mistakes. If you are doing shift work that involves working through the night, you are likely to disrupt your body’s metabolic process. To start surviving the night shift, you need to shift your body’s circadian clock, so it gets used to sleeping in the day and working through the night. You can alter your circadian rhythm over time, but it requires discipline. If you are doing night shifts, make sure the schedule is regular, and you are not constantly chopping and changing between day and night work. When you get home in the morning to sleep, make sure it is in a dark and quiet room and not on the sofa. Make sure to spend a few hours awake and then take another longer nap before you resume your night shift again. Don’t use caffeine for a couple of hours before you come off the night shift. This will disrupt the sleep you do have when you finally get home. Try and expose yourself to bright light when you are working the night shift even if it only five or so 15-minute blocks of time.
Safety
Your employer should always ensure that they create an environment that promotes safety if you are working the night shift. For construction workers, this means providing the correct workwear, lighting, and signage. Companies such as selectequip.co.uk offer the latest innovative technology in high visibility clothing and headgear that is perfect for highway workers. Those in this field should also make sure the correct lighting is in place on the roads for the best visibility. Also, ensure the company you work for installs signage, so motorists know where to drive safely away from workers. For hospitals, bars, and stockrooms, the temperature should be cool. And you should be allowed enough 15-minute breaks in areas of bright light. No matter what your age, always let family or a friend know what time your night shift starts and finishes. And if you live alone, always let someone know when you arrive home. This can even be a colleague working the same shift as you. Don’t wear headphones if you are walking home or taking public transport. And if you are driving, be sure to have a bottle of water at hand. Also, consider installing the Life Fine Mobile Alert App on your cell.
Nutrition
Those on the night shift may have urges to reach for junk food and caffeine throughout the early hours. But try and resist. The best thing you can do to stay alert at night is to eat more protein on your shift, and fewer carbs. Protein comes in the form of things like tuna, peanut butter, turkey, and eggs. Bread, cereal, and potatoes should be avoided as these have a sedative effect. Avoid sugar as not only does our body find it harder to process at night, but it will also give you a quick high but then a big dip. The best thing you can do is make your own food before your night shift and stay away from those dreaded vending machines.
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