For many, working shifts can affect our circadian rhythm, the natural body clock which tells us when to sleep and when to wake up each day. Check out these top tips for staying on the ball in your job, even if you’re a little lacking in sleep…

Go for an evening stroll

If you work during the night and you’re afraid of feeling sleepy on the job, a great idea is to head out for an evening stroll when it’s still sunny in the evening. The increase in light exposure and fresh air can really help your body to feel awake and ready for the work ahead, giving  you a natural energy boost without the need for caffeine..

Try out some caffeine

Although not the most ideal methods of staying awake, caffeinated beverages really can be life savers when it comes to night shifts and are often a necessary component of working through the night.

An important point to remember is to decrease your caffeine consumption towards the end of your shift, much like you would do if you were working in the day time, this makes it easier to head to bed when you return home and allows your body to regain it’s natural clock at a faster pace.

Keep moving!

If you’re finding yourself sitting at your desk and moving little, it can be much more tempting to fall asleep on the job. A great way to get around this is to get get moving!

Night shits, for many, involve a lot of movement anyway, whether they’re midwife positions of working in the fire service, but if your job is a desk job, it’s best to walk up and down the work place once every half an hour to stay awake. When it hits your lunch break, enjoy your food outside or take a stroll to a local park, this can be great for avoiding the afternoon slump at work.

Ensure Safety

Driving home drowsy after a night shift can be a real hazard, as you tend to be completely exhausted!

Take public transport if you can, or ask a friend or family member to come and get you from your place of work.

Take a look at the key ways in which stress can affect our sleep – as well as a few tips and tricks for beating stress and getting the rest that you deserve.

Anxious Thoughts

One of the main side effects of stress is the inability to switch off our minds in the moments before we fall to sleep. General anxiety and worry can cause thoughts to entangle in our brains, causing our sleepless nights. The more we can’t sleep, the more we worry about not sleeping!

Tip

A great way for combatting anxious thoughts is to write down everything you are worrying about before bed and either solve the worries there, or plan how you are going to combat them the next day. Having a plan in place helps you to diminish the worries from your mind.

Inability to Relax

Stress can come with many side effects, including the inability or desire to relax during stressful moments. People suffering with acute stress tend to feel guilty when they stop doing the activity they have been worrying about, leading to tiredness and fatigue.

Tip

Practice self care. Taking just thirty minutes to an hour each day to enjoy self care can really help to stop the feelings of guilt that accompany. Whether it’s having a bath, heading out on a walk or working out, taking time to relax can ultimately help you to sleep more.

Build up of Emotions

Stress can definitely consume people – especially when they are unable to open up and talk about the issue more. Inability to do so usually leads to feelings of isolation and can make falling asleep at night a tricky affair.

Tip

The best way to avoid this is to open up a discussion with friends and family.
Head out for a walk with a person close to you and chat about what has been bothering you. Opening up about the issue can take a lot of pressure off your mind and usually means that you’ll be less anxious at night and more likely to fall asleep.