Sleeping after night shifts
As anyone who works anti-social shift knows, it can cause sleep problems as it goes against our natural internal rhythm to be active and alert during the day and to sleep at night.
Even though you might feel exhausted after working a night shift, you may struggle to get to sleep or stay asleep.
In this blog, we explain why shift work disrupts the body clock and share some usable shift work sleep tips to help you get the rest your body needs.
Why sleep is hard after night shifts
Working night shifts can disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock that controls sleep and wake cycles over a 24-hour period.
This rhythm is strongly influenced by daylight. Natural light tells the brain to stay awake and reduces the production of melatonin – the hormone that helps you sleep.
When you work at night and sleep during the day, this pattern is reversed, which can throw your body out of sync.
It can be tricky trying to sleep during the day – as well as contending with daylight, the rest of the household – and the rest of the world! – are busy going about their daily routine so things like knocks at the door, traffic on the road outside or kids coming home from school can all interrupt your slumber.
It may also be difficult to switch off after a busy shift or if you’ve been having trouble sleeping, you may be anxious about getting to sleep and it can become a vicious circle.
Over time, this disruption can lead to night shift insomnia, causing ongoing fatigue and possible long-term health effects.
Practical ways to improve daytime sleep
If you’re looking for advice on how to sleep after a night shift, we have some shift work sleep tips to help you relax into a new way of rest.
→ Restful room: Firstly, make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet. Try blackout curtains or an eye mask to stop daylight creeping in. The ideal bedroom temperature is around 16-18°C. Temperatures over 24°C could cause restlessness, while a cold room of about 12°C can make it harder to drop off.
→ Reducing light: Reducing light exposure after night shifts can also help. Bright light suppresses melatonin, so reducing light can allow this hormone to be released, telling the body it’s time to rest.
→ Limit caffeine: It will come as no surprise that limiting caffeine late in your shift can help.
Stopping drinking coffee or tea at least six hours before your intended bedtime helps ensure the stimulant has cleared your system, allowing for better quality rest.
→ Stick to a routine: Try not to get distracted by things that delay getting to bed. The longer you delay, the more awake you will feel and the harder it will be to sleep. Don’t go to sleep hungry or thirsty and avoid stimulants like nicotine. A routine helps your body get used to sleeping during the day. Don’t forget to warn any people you live with that you will be sleeping – and switch off your mobile.
→ Taking strategic naps: Use naps to boost alertness and concentration. Try to take a short nap during your breaks, ideally no longer than 45 minutes (with 15–20 minutes being most effective). Set an alarm so you don’t oversleep. Naps tend to work best when taken earlier in your shift, before you become very tired.
→ Diet can help: Sticking to a healthy and sensible eating plan can help you stay alert at work and make it easier to relax and sleep when you need to. Try replacing large, heavy meals with more frequent lighter meals or snacks, eating foods that are easier to digest such as pasta or rice, fruit and milk products and avoiding spicy, fatty or sugary foods.
Managing ongoing or rotating shifts
Rotating shifts sleep patterns are challenging but manageable by adjusting routines so the body can adapt more smoothly to changing schedules.
On night shifts it can be hard to stay alert, which may affect performance and increase the risk of errors or accidents. Moderate exercise before starting work and short walking breaks may help improve alertness during the shift.
It is also important to protect rest days and recovery time, allowing the body to fully rest and reduce accumulated fatigue between shifts. Setting realistic sleep expectations is key, as shift work can make it difficult to achieve a perfect or consistent sleep pattern.
Accepting that quality of sleeping during the day may vary and focusing on getting enough rest overall can help improve wellbeing and make shift work easier.
Further help
If lifestyle changes and sleep routine self-management isn’t helping, speak to your pharmacist for advice.
They can offer information around over the counter sleep aids to help with temporary disturbances of sleep.
Sominex is a night-time sleep aid to relieve occasional sleeplessness.
It contains an active ingredient called promethazine hydrochloride, an antihistamine which has a sedative effect and is suitable for use by adults and children over 16.
If natural sleep does not return within seven days, always speak to your GP. Always read the label.
Conclusion
It is challenging learning how to sleep after a night shift but it is manageable with a good post-shift routine.
Understanding the cause of why you are unable to sleep well following a night shift, will help you understand why a post-shift routine is important.
