One of the most challenging aspects of shift work is getting enough quality sleep during the day so that, during night shifts, we are able to do our jobs to the best of our ability, and do so safely.
Night shift workers are twice as likely to be injured on the job as those working day shifts[1], and are also at an increased risk of car accidents when travelling home from work[2]. This is to say nothing of the long-term effects of chronic sleep deprivation.
To give ourselves the best chance of performing well at our jobs and returning home safely, we must place a high priority on getting a good sleep during the day.
Creating the perfect environment for sleep during the day
The ideal sleep environment should have similar qualities to those of a cave: it should be dark, cool, and quiet. Below are some tips on creating a sleep environment that I have found invaluable in helping me survive a rotating shift schedule.
A dark room
Have your room as dark as possible before going to bed.
I have a windowless room in my basement that I use in preparation for night shifts. If you don’t have this option, I highly recommend blackout blinds
A cheaper, simpler option is to use a good quality sleep mask
My room is also absent of clocks and other electronics that emit blue light. This may be overkill, but even extremely dim light has been shown to affect sleep in animal studies[3]. Most electronics have a little LED which is illuminated even when the device is off. If you wish to leave any such devices in your room, you could alternatively put electrical tape over the offending light(s).
Another often overlooked area is the bathroom, and the path you must take to get to it. If you have to use the bathroom – and you most assuredly will given the unnatural time of your sleep – you’ll make it a lot harder to get back to sleep if care isn’t taken to avoid light here as well. If your bathroom, or any area leading to it, contains windows, have the blinds closed. Use the light on your smartphone instead of turning on bright overhead lights.
A quiet room
Unless you live by yourself on a private fifty acre lot, you may have to do a little planning to ensure you aren’t woken from sleep prematurely. Ask family members or roommates to be considerate and to only wake you if necessary. Put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode. If you need to be available for phone calls, try to have someone screen them for you.
Note: Check out this article for more tips to prevent your phone from disrupting your sleep
Earplugs. I can’t believe how long it took me to start using these consistently for daytime sleep. Formerly reserved for times when I expected excessive noise, I now use them regularly and experience far fewer awakenings. Earplugs
White noise is also a good solution, especially if you find it hard to sleep with earplugs. Whether from a fan or dedicated white noise machine
A cool room
The brain has to drop its core temperature by two or three degrees Fahrenheit to initiate sleep. A good general range for your bedroom is sixty to sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, as the cold will help take your brain in the right thermal direction for sleep.
Matthew Walker PhD, author of the book Why We Sleep
If you find the colder temperatures a little too uncomfortable, experiment with wearing socks to bed. Keeping your extremities warm like this will help cool your core, facilitating faster, more efficient sleep.
In warmer climates, or during summer months, air conditioning
A cooling pad for your bed is also worth looking into. Though expensive, a ChiliPAD or OOLER will provide extremely precise temperature control. Peter Attia, who I follow regularly for high quality health information, is a huge fan of these things. I believe he owns three.
Control of bedroom temperature should not be overlooked.
Optimize your sleep by tracking it
Invest in a sleep tracking device such as the Oura Ring or Fitbit Ionic