In the first segment on getting quality sleep in preparation for a night shift, we concentrated on creating a good sleep environment. Click here if you missed it. In this segment we will be covering the things you should avoid to give yourself the best chance at quality sleep.
Avoid bright, blue light
Blue light has been shown to suppress the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences our circadian rhythms and tells the body when it’s time for sleep. A good strategy for anyone wishing to optimize sleep is to avoid blue light as much as possible leading up to your desired bed time.
To protect yourself, wear blue blocking glasses for at least the last couple hours of your shift. If your commute is during daylight hours, wear dark, blue-blocking sunglasses during this time as well. Studies have shown this strategy to increase sleep quantity and quality, as well as improve mood[1][2].
Recommendations: Some good options for blue light blocking glasses are Bon Charge and Swannies by Swanwick Sleep
For more information on picking effective glasses, check out my article Why every shift worker needs blue-light-blocking glasses.
Note: If you’ll be driving for your commute home, make sure your blue light blocking glasses are approved for driving. Many blue-blocking lenses make it hard or impossible to distinguish traffic signals. For an inexpensive driving approved option try anything with the Espresso lens from UVEX
Drinking water or other beverages too close to bed time
Take note of when you are drinking water or other drinks during your night shifts. If you are constantly waking early to use the bathroom, try cutting back on drinks late in the shift.
Taking note of this information will help you determine how long before sleep you should avoid drinking water to give yourself the best chance of an undisturbed sleep. Also, try to urinate immediately before going to bed, whether you feel the need or not.
This is not an endorsement of reducing water intake overall. It’s still important to drink plenty of water throughout your waking hours, just skew your intake to earlier in the day.
Caffeine
Caffeine can remain in your system for up to twelve hours and can affect the quality of your sleep long after it’s energy boosting effects have worn off.
A general rule for regular folk is to avoid having caffeine after lunch. For those of us working the night shift, it might be hard to consistently perform our best following that guideline. The rate at which caffeine is metabolized can differ from person to person, so take note of the times when you are consuming caffeine. If you are having trouble with sleep following your shifts, try getting your caffeine fix earlier in the shift.
When working night shifts, I try to have coffee during my commute or as soon as I get to work. Since I work a twelve hour shift, this gives twelve or more hours for the caffeine to wear off before I attempt to sleep. Obviously there are times when my energy level is less than ideal and I feel the need to push this a little. But even then I’ll limit coffee to the first half of the shift, allowing seven hours or more for my body to prepare for sleep.
Wasting time when you get home from work
The more time spent awake following a nightshift, the greater the amount of circadian disruption.
Postponing the daytime sleep episode will not only force sleep to occur at an even more inappropriate circadian phase but will also result in increased exposure to phase-advancing light, which will inhibit phase delays.[3]
Prior to leaving home for work, have everything prepared for the next morning so no time is wasted en route to sleep. Have the shades drawn and any sleep aids (ear plugs, white noise, etc.) ready to go.
If work allows, you could also try to do any sleep prep activities, such as brushing your teeth and washing your face, before leaving. This again will reduce the amount of time needed at home and, in my experience, these activities also tend to wake you up a little, so doing them farther in advance makes getting to sleep easier.
Staying in bed when you are having difficulty falling asleep
If you find yourself waking early and are unable to get sufficient sleep in one stretch, instead of stubbornly trying to get back to sleep, get up for a bit and do something relaxing to help you unwind. Remaining in bed can lead to anxiety and your brain may start to associate lying in bed with being awake.
For example, you could try reading a book, meditating or doing some breathing exercises. Then you can return to bed and try to make up for the lost sleep.
Alcohol
The ever increasing awareness around healthy lifestyles may make this seem obvious, but I’ve been around shift work long enough to know that alcohol is still viewed by some as a sleep aid. Even if it’s seven o’clock in the morning after a night shift.
Alcohol may in fact allow you to fall asleep easier, but it reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and leads to disturbances in later stages of sleep[4]. REM sleep is thought to be restorative, so disruptions in this stage can cause daytime drowsiness, poor concentration and overall reduced sleep quantity.
In addition, alcohol is a potent diuretic, prompting you to urinate more than if you had drank an equal portion of a non-alcoholic beverage. Alcohol can also induce and worsen symptoms of sleep apnea[5], even in individuals who have no pre-existing conditions.
Sleep Tracking
In part I, I mentioned investing in a good sleep tracking device, such as the Oura Ring or the Fitbit Ionic
Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash