All life on Earth is affected by the day-night cycle resulting from the planet’s rotation. In line with this, people are naturally awake during daylight hours and sleep at night when it is dark. On contrary, staying awake at night is directly against our internal clock, producing a similar effect to jetlag in night-shift individuals.
Circadian rhythms are controlled by our body clocks, which are the complex cycles that govern most of our biological functions. Our body clocks respond to light and dark and help us wake in the morning, being awake during daylight hours, and beginning to feel drowsyas it gets dark.
They also control how alert we feel. Many individuals who work at night find that they are extremely tired in the early morning hours, as this is when we would normally be asleep. In addition, a second process known as sleep pressure is at work, making us more likely to fall asleep the longer we have been awake.
Light levels also have a large part to play in both alertness and wakefulness. Just as dim light can make us sleepy, being exposed to morning light gives us a boost to wake up, and make it hard to sleep after a night shift.
By trying to stay awake at night and sleep during the day, we are acting against our sleep biology and circadian, and the body will fight against it. We know that after three- night shifts, the body clock has advanced enough to survive while staying awake at night.
In Australia, shift work that may contribute to circadian disruption is very common in industries such as hospitality, transport, mining, food production, health care, media, and manufacturing with about 20% of the country’s workforce affected.
Over the past few years, there has been a trend away from putting individuals on permanent night shifts. In addition to potential impacts on family relationships and quality of life, long-term night work has been associated to an increased risk of certain diseases and chronic conditions. Rotating shifts are presently very common, with blocks of days, afternoons, and nights, though this pattern sometimes also involves split shifts or such a short space between different shifts that the body clock is unable to adjust in time.
A condition called shift work sleep disorder has been recognized, which includes trouble with sleep, concentration, headaches, lethargy, and tiredness, but if you ask any shift worker, they are likely to recognize these symptoms in themselves. We do know that some individuals cope better with shift work than others, and a certain proportion are mostly vulnerable to weakness.
In studies where participants are kept awake at night and tested on tasks involving cognitive performance and reaction time, vulnerable people’s performance will reduce dramatically. Sleep researchers are trying to work out how to recognize alertness vulnerability before suffering from its effects so that workers can be better informed about whether shift work is a good option for them.
While individuals who regularly do shift work often develop their own ways of trying to compensate for staying awake at night, adaptation can be difficult, and the same method may not be effective for all.
Ways to cope with the night shift
Prioritize your sleep and develop a schedule
When you get back home in the morning, stick to a regular sleep schedule. The same way you would, if you were sleeping at night. which should involve dimming lights, avoiding screens, meditating, having a light meal, or reading a book.
Light and shade
Getting a reasonable amount of bright light while working at night will help keep you alert, while limiting your exposure to morning light on the way home, perhaps with dark sunglasses, which may be useful to help you wind down for sleep. Make your bedroom as dark as you can, possibly adding an eye mask if your blinds or curtains aren’t heavy enough.
Make a comfortable space
Create a comfortable environment for sleep. To make the room dark, keep it cool, and to deal with external noise use ear plugs or noise canceling devices.
Before your first night shift
While some individuals prefer to get up early and then go back to bed for a few hours in the afternoon, others find taking a power nap on the day of their first night shift to be beneficial. Studies have shown that power naps are effective because sleeping for more than 20 minutes encourages the body into deep sleep, making it difficult to wake up, and affects alertness after waking.
After your last night shift
As soon as possible try to get back to your normal sleep routine, after the final shift in a block of nights. Some individuals prefer sleeping for a few hours then getting up, while others stay up all day to make sure that they are tired enough to sleep all night. A short sleep is probably the better approach, as your body will be fighting you if you stay awake for 24 hours.
Healthy lifestyle, healthy sleep
All aspects of our lifestyles contribute to the quality of our sleep, a healthy diet and sufficient exercise are both important considerations. Consuming alcohol, caffeine, other stimulants, or meals heavy in protein just before going to bed can affect the quality of sleep, whether at night or during the day. Doing appropriate exercise before bed is likely to act as a stimulant, so before work try to time your gym visits than after.
Note on pills and supplements
Some individuals struggling with sleep may be considering sedatives, melatonin supplements, or over-the-counter medications. This is not an approach that should be recommended. Sleeping pills are designed for short-term use only, and there is not enough scientific proof to show whether melatonin or over-the-counter medications are effective. If you are having a hard time with sleep, due to shift work or any other reason, consult a medical professional for help.
