I Work Rotating Shifts: How Can I Prevent a Sleep Disorder?

Nearly 30% of American employees work nonstandard shifts — that is, working hours outside the working hours of 7am-6pm. 

For many of those women and men, that means they also need to deal with abnormal sleep patterns and the risks of related health problems, including anxiety, depression, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

In fact, physical and emotional health issues are so prevalent among nonstandard shift workers that the condition has earned its own nickname: shift work sleep disorder or SWSD. 

While you might not be able to quit your job, there are some things you can do to improve your sleeping habits — and your health — on your own.

At Atlanta Insomnia and Behavioral Health Services, our team focuses on sleep disorders and related problems, helping women and men improve their sleep and their overall wellness. Here, our team offers some simple tips you can use to improve your own sleep habits despite your rotating shifts.

Stick to a schedule

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is important regardless of whether you sleep at night or during the day. As much as possible, set a regular bedtime and wake-up time and stick to them — ideally even on your days off. 

This type of schedule gives your body a chance to establish its own rhythm to support better health and make it easier to fall asleep when you’re supposed to.

Establish a pre-sleep routine

Choose an activity or two to help you relax, and then incorporate it into your bedtime routine. For instance, if you like to read or listen to music, make it a regular habit before sleep and stick to it. Meditation and deep-breathing exercises can be good habits to embrace, too.

Focus on improving your environment

Make your sleeping area a haven for sleep. Remove electronics from your room, keep lighting dim, and invest in quality bedding materials. Hang light-blocking curtains and keep them closed. 

Keep the temperature of your sleeping space on the cool side, and block out annoying sounds with a white noise machine.

Watch electronic usage

Phones, computers, and even TVs emit a type of light that interferes with the production of sleep hormones, particularly melatonin. Avoiding electronics for an hour or so before bed helps your body adjust to sleep more rapidly and more successfully. It also helps decrease stress and relax your mind.

Stay active

Regular exercise helps your health in lots of ways, including improving the quality of your sleep. Aim to do some exercise every day, but avoid exercise before bedtime, since it can wind up making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Watch your diet

Shift work makes it harder to plan healthy meals and more likely you’ll snack on unhealthy foods. It’s also harder to stick to regular mealtimes. Combined, these factors can make it easier to gain weight and harder to shed extra pounds. 

It also increases your risks of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other health problems, so watch what you eat.

Skip caffeine

For people working night shifts, those final hours before dawn can seem awfully long — and it can be very tempting to reach for caffeine. But doing so can make it harder to fall asleep when you get home. 

Ideally, avoid caffeine for at least 3-4 hours prior to your regular sleeping time, and skip alcohol before bed, too.

Nap smart

Napping may be tempting, but it can also lead to grogginess and make it harder to maintain a normal sleep schedule. Aim for brief power naps of about 20-30 minutes before your shift to improve your alertness during working hours without interfering with sleep once you get home.

Try sleep therapy

Sleep therapy uses behavioral techniques and lifestyle changes tailored to your needs, your sleep issues, and your sleep patterns to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper, more restorative sleep. 

We tailor each therapy plan to the individual patient, so you can enjoy optimal results and better health, too.

Prioritize yourself

When days off roll around, it can be tempting to stay awake to spend time with friends and family. But making time for sleep on your days off is crucial for your overall sleep pattern and your health. Limit personal obligations and prioritize your personal sleep schedule whenever possible.

Get the sleep you need

Sleep doesn’t just feel good — it’s good for you. If you’re not getting the sleep you need to feel alert, stable, and healthy, we can help. To learn more about sleep therapy, request an appointment online or over the phone today with our team at Atlanta Insomnia and Behavioral Health Services in Decatur, Georgia.