When your shift is over, take another short 15-minute nap before driving home to help re-energize your body and mind, making the commute safer. The above tips are just a fraction of the ways to help you stay awake during a long night shift. At Shiftwork Services we recommend three key areas that can help you on night shift. Surviving the day after an all-nighter can be more difficult than it was to stay awake in the first place. If you work the night shift or rotating shifts, ... doctors can prescribe medications to help people stay alert when they need to be awake and help shift workers fall asleep. Bonding with co-workers not only makes the night shift easier to handle, but good communication between co-workers can also help increase the likelihood that a shift will run smoothly. Your other two meals can be eaten outside of work… Night shifts are notoriously slower than day shifts in all different lines of work. It gives an instant energy boost that provides maximum concentration until the morning. Reading the above isn’t pleasant especially if you have to work night shifts, but not all hope is lost and there are things that you can do to minimise the … Prioritizing healthy living 24/7. If you are one of these people who are being asked to work the night shift, back-to-backs or third shift hours for the first time, you might be struggling to get through it while maintaining your high standard of performance. When You Have No Choice. As a nurse, working the night shift can be an inevitable part of your work life. Get up at your normal time. The night before stay up a little later than normal. The Military Energy Gum from Amazon is my go-to option every time I have to work a night shift or study throughout the night. Make sure you have plenty of sleep prior to working at night. Overall, I am grateful to be able to work nights. Nursing Standard, 11(15), 7-7. There are some habits to add to the daily routine that could help someone stay awake at work. The DTN Home Care blog has an article giving 10 tips on how nurses and caregivers can stay awake during a night shift. A bright light has a powerful effect on your eyes, brain, and body. I occassionally work with a young 30's agency nurse who does 7, 12 hour night shifts a week so his wife can stay home with their baby daughter. Cluster night shifts together. But there are ways you can work the night shift and stay healthy—and caring for your own health will help you care more effectively for others. I used to work on a 8 hour rotating shift at a major wine bottling facility in my area, operating a bottle depalletising machine. For me its simple. Many night shift workers are dependent on caffeine for survival. The World Health Organization considers it a probable carcinogen—and research suggests that if you spend your nights wide awake, you're more likely to suffer not just from certain kinds of cancer but also diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cognitive impairment. I got 20 years of age on you (I'm 45), that may be part of my problem with staying awake too!! Over 15 million Americans work night shifts, or have jobs that require them to rotate to nights. Staying awake on night shift can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Tiredness at work is common whether you work part time or full time, day shift or night shift. I would see the night nurses when I started my shift at 7:00 AM and they all looked exhausted! Night shift work linked to depression. He lives about 80 miles away from the hospital and doesn't have any problem driving home night after night. Sometimes the dreaded all-nighter just can’t be avoided. Many shift workers are trying to sleep during the day and stay awake at night to work, leading to complaints of trouble sleeping and staying alert on the job. Exercise in quick bursts to stay awake during night shifts. However, if you find that working night shifts is detrimental to your health, there’s a solution. During night shifts, it may be helpful to turn on extra lights. The best way to maintain a social life when you work the midnight shift is to befriend other people who have similar hours. Here are some instant tips for night shift nursing that may help you to combat this problem – 1. It also makes sure you are awake and alert before the start of a shift (Which is a good thing). Socialize with other night shift workers. Manage Yourself. Staying awake all night for work, studies, sleepovers, or night-shift assignments can be tough on anybody. Workout routines for a 12 hour or night shift. Not only are you one of very few medical staff in the hospital, but you also have to battle against the darkness to stay awake all night. Little did I know at the time that I would work nights for a very long time (five years and counting!). Becoming self-employed means you choose when and where you work, and can lead to higher career satisfaction and a better balanced life. Tips on staying awake during the night shift. 1. What foods to avoid on a 12 hour or night shift. With flights scheduled all hours of the day and night, I often say that the hardest part of my job is being tired when I need to be tired and awake when I need to be awake. Hang out with co-workers or friends that work nighttime jobs. The best way to prepare for night shifts requires you to incorporate a number of items; food preparation, organize the household, inform close contacts of your schedule, transition your sleep pattern, prepare your bedroom for daytime sleeping, exercise and booking a social event. The problem is, shift work doesn't just leave us zonked. Either way, you can pull off an all-nighter with a few successful and simple tricks. You have to get plenty of SLEEP during the day of the night shift. Among them: Make daytime sleep your #1 priority. Try limiting yourself to no more than two healthy snacks and one meal while you are on night shift. The night shift creates a completely different environment than the day shift; one that causes a nurse to become more resourceful since there is fewer managers, directors, and Physicians on duty. Relax before trying to sleep so your mind can unwind and process what happened during the shift. The National Sleep Foundation suggests shooting hoops or taking a short, brisk walk to decrease sleepiness. Healy, P. (1996). Unfortunately, as a junior doctor, these are among the many things that you have to get used to. These are the exact strategies we work with our night-shift clients in our 1-on-1 Coaching Program! Instead, drink coffee or tea. Regulate your sleeping pattern to coincide with after-work down time, says night nurse Tom Trimble. This means the night shift can get a bit boring. Keep cool. Weird hours be damned, I’m gonna help get you healthy. Listen to Music. Learn about the best and safest ways to stay up all night. A regular exercise routine is part of a healthy lifestyle, but quick bursts of cardiovascular activity can induce alertness even if you don't have time for a lengthy workout. Getting quality sleep is important in order to stay alert, react quickly, and get home safely. Try taking a 90-minute nap before heading into work. Learn the best ways to stay awake at work. With so much demand for nurses, doctors, officers and store clerks, they are being asked to work night shifts, overtime and more strenuous work during regular hours. It’s helpful to cluster night shifts together and stick to a night shift sleep schedule even on your off days. Light Exposure. The night shift, or third shift work is a big part of many industries. Good, restorative sleep is hard to come by on the night shift, especially for those who have family commitments during the day. Over time these employees may develop shift work disorder , a condition characterized by insomnia symptoms when they attempt to sleep and excessive tiredness while they are at work. Holy cow. Stay away from alcohol or sleeping aids as they can interfere with, rather than offer more, restful sleep and make getting through that next shift even harder. 16. It's important to snack a little during your night shift, but don't use food as a distraction to stay awake. Try our 12 tips. Staying Awake on Night Shift. By planning for adequate rest after every night shift, you can avoid some serious complications of chronic sleep deprivation, such as high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and depression. Get 7 – 8 hours of sleep. If you have to stay awake for one night or adjust to a new night shift at work, these basic techniques will let you know how to stay awake all night long: Exposure to the light is a mood enhancing trick that can increase your ability to stay awake for a longer time. 14. Listening to music can be a great way to keep the mind awake. While a slow day is often a welcome break for a rush, it can make it more difficult to stay awake and alert. With time and focus you can make night shift tolerable and maybe even enjoyable (and for a small fraction, the best thing since sliced bread). Shift work can be demanding when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, especially for those who work night, early morning, or rotating shifts. Night shifts are daunting for a number of reasons. I've worked shift work which includes 12 hr nights for 17 years and I never sleep even though I have plenty of opportunities to do so. Napping is also helpful for night shift workers as it can improve alertness while on the job. How on earth are people able to stay up until 8:00 AM? If you are someone who relies on caffeine to stay awake during your shift, be sure to stay away from energy drinks that are loaded with sugar and large amounts of caffeine. Don’t let others talk you into skipping sleep for other things. In addition to napping at work, consuming a moderate amount of caffeine, and following a balanced diet, other tips for how to stay awake for a night shift include: Keep your workstation brightly lit : Your circadian rhythms are based on natural cycles of light and darkness; the release of certain hormones help you feel alert during the day and sleepy after the sun goes down. There are many challenges that face those who work the night shift.The body’s normal rhythm is to sleep at night and remain active throughout the day, so doing the exact opposite can cause stress and various potential health problems—that’s the bad news. Look for groups on social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Meetup) that connect night shift workers in your area. What liquid calories will help your 12 hour or night shift. Typically, the bulk of busy hours is during the day time. Anyone who works night shift knows how hard it can be to focus and stay awake. The extra calories could lead to weight gain.