Sleep Management for Shift Work?
916886
Ideally if you could take a nap would be the best.\nget off at 6pm, I would stay awake till like 12 or 1 am then get up at 7 or 8 then try an take a 2 hr or so nap at 3. \nLearn to take naps, get up earlier and then take a 1 to 2 hr nap before you have to go in to work.
1128892
I'm not going to pretend that I know what it is like to do the 7 on 7 off schedule, but the transition from day to night is rough. I invested in those room darkening blinds ($10 at Walmart) and stole a pair of ear plugs from the factory I worked for. If you're in a factory, you probably agree that the industrial ear plugs are good enough that you don't hear the trash man outside, but weak enough that you can hear the alarm. The new blinds didn't make my room pitch black at night, but it helped. As far as switching the schedules, try to push yourself on Friday (or whatever your last work day is) to not go to sleep until anywhere from 8-10 that night. It'll wear you out enough that you won't be up before the crack of dawn. You'll also get enough sleep that you can enjoy the weekend "properly". Also, try to get on a sleep schedule as soon as possible. If you stick to the same schedule everyother week your body will get more used to it quicker. ie. don't stay up til noon one day and get in bed at 8 the next.
944185
Try this:\nThe idea is to tone down mind and body activities hours before sleep so you will get to sleep easier...\nSome useful steps:\n1. Drink less coffee, tea or any other drinks that contain caffeine, especially after later part of afternoon.\n2. Try going to bed at the same time every night.\n3. Avoid alcoholic drinks after evening time as alcoholic drinks may cause early morning wakefulness and may wake you up after your sleep.\n4. Ensure your sleeping environment is suitable for sleeping (not too noisy, not too bright, not too cold, bed not uncomfortable)\n5. Avoid heavy meals hours prior to sleep.\n6. Stop all mind-stimulating activities 1 hour before going to bed (activities like reading research papers, reading mystery solving books, doing your school work, solving a complicated Maths question, watching your computer, watching TV, etc)\n7. Half an hour before bed, take a warm bath. Then drink a cup of WARM milk.\n8. As you lie on bed, take a deep breath and as you breath out, slowly, imagine you have abandoned your body. Imagine that your body slowly 'sinks' into your bed and become 'blended' into the bed. As you are imagining, take another deep breath and count 1. * As you breath out, slowly, now imagine your body is like water ripples spreading out, slowly. Take deep breath again and count 2 and repeat the process (from the place i marked with a *). Start counting from 1 again when you reach 9 or any number you prefer...\nHope this help. Email me if you have queries.
356635
Sleeping for 15hrs is too much.If you think it is because of your work then try to reduce it and do what is important.\nInstead of sleeping longer you can also do YOGA which will help you reduce stress. And also consult a doctor to check if it is not a serious problem.
796762
Oh ya, me too as healthcare provider, I work 12 hours a day. I'm used to sleep late at night, with wakeful hours since my boyfriend calls me from time to time from work. He work night shift, so more or less, I get 4 to 5 hours of sleep daily too except my off days, which is the happiest days of my life because I can take enough rest and sleep. I can even sleep 12 hours during my day off to catch up those days I lack sleep. We need enough sleep since lack of sleep below 6 hours a day will lead to serious heart problems as what I've read in the internet.
77436
From Dr. Andrew Weil:\nThe two best natural sleep aids are valerian and melatonin. Valerian is a sedative herb, used for centuries. You can find standardized extracts in health food stores and pharmacies. Take one to two capsules a half hour before bedtime. \nMelatonin is a hormone that regulates the wake/sleep cycle and other daily biorhythms. Try sublingual tablets (to be placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve); take 2.5 milligrams at bedtime as an occasional dose, making sure that your bedroom is completely dark. New evidence suggests that a much lower dose, 0.25 to 0.3 milligrams, is more effective for regular use. \n\nAlso, he recommends a lot of lifestyle suggestions:\nEstablish a consistent bedtime routine. This is one of the most important factors in maintaining good sleeping habits. Routines may include taking a warm bath or a relaxing walk in the evening, or practicing meditation/relaxation exercises as part of your regular nighttime routine. \n\nTry to go to bed at the same time every night, and get up at the same time each morning. This includes weekends. \n\nGet plenty of exercise during the day. Studies have shown that people who are physically active sleep better than those who are sedentary. The more energy you expend during the day, the sleepier you will feel at bedtime. Just be sure not to engage in vigorous exercise too close to bedtime as that can make it more difficult to fall asleep. \n\nReduce your intake of caffeine, particularly in the evening. \n\nAvoid stimulants like caffeine and limit alcohol. \nBoth, even when consumed early in the day, can affect sleep. \n\nUse your bed only for sleeping and sex. Don’t use it to do work or watch TV. \n\nAvoid large meals late in the evening. \n\nIf you can’t fall asleep within half an hour of going to bed, get up and read or do something calming until you feel sleepy. \n\nLearn and use a relaxation technique regularly. Breathing exercises, meditation and yoga are good examples. \nUse “white noise” devices to block out surrounding environmental noise. \n\nTake a hot bath before bedtime. Try a few drops of relaxing oil of lavender in the water.\n \nShort naps are good. Try to get into the habit of napping: ten to twenty minutes in the afternoon, preferably lying down in a darkened room. \n\nSpend some time outdoors as often as you can to get exposure to bright, natural light. If you are concerned about harmful effects of solar radiation, do it before ten in the morning or after three in the afternoon or use sunscreen. \n\nTry to give yourself some time - up to an hour - in dim light before you go to sleep at night. Lower the lighting in your house and bedroom and if other members of the household object, wear sunglasses. \n\nDon’t obsess about not sleeping. Not surprisingly, studies have shown that individuals who worry about falling asleep have greater trouble dropping off. It may help to remind yourself that while sleeplessness is troublesome, it isn’t life-threatening. \n\nHope that this helps!
170509
A typical adult will need an average of 8 hours of sleep to remain healthy. Some may be ok with 6-7 hours, some may need 9-10 hours. Most people will be between 7-9 hours. You should, as a practice of good sleep hygiene, go to bed and wake up at the same time daily. The body's circadian rhythm is naturally set to sleep at night, not only by the effects of sunlight (internal clock in near the optic chiasm an area in which the optic nerves of the eyes cross), but also by the varying core temperature of the body. The core body temp drops during the afternoon, which is why most people get a little tired after lunch and some cultures actually observe naps during that time. Then the core body temp starts plummeting after 7PM and hits the lowest around 3AM which is when you will be the most tired naturally, even if you are a night worker (which is why many shift workers suffer poor sleep). People who "claim" that 4 hours is enough for them are kidding themselves, the body simply can't recoup in that short of time and many people sleeping that little actually have a sleep disorder that keeps them from getting good sleep. Lack of good sleep and sleep deprivation can lead to a host of very bad things health wise up to and including death. Feel free to look over my previous sleep related question for the full dose of sleep disorders, diagnosis, and treatments. \n\nPersonally, I like about 7 1/2 hours of sleep; I go to bed between 9:30 and 11:00 most nights and wake up between 5:30AM and 8AM depending on weekday vs weekend.\n\nSleep tight ;)
962432
What kind of volunteer work are you doing that you have to be awake 36 hours?  My record for staying awake is 31 hours and that's with a very brief (I hope) nap lasting about 30 seconds after 26 hours.  I'd suggest trying to get out of it, or perhaps offering to do a 12 hour shift, then return in 8-10 hours for another 12 hour shift.  That would about cover the 36 hours and still give you a chance to let your body recharge.\n\nIf there's no way out of this, some tips include:\n1. Limit lots of sugar; it can give you a quick high but then you dip again.\n2. Eat high protein foods regularly (meats, cheese, peanut butter) as well as complex carbs (whole wheat, high fibre stuff).  These will give you more energy over a longer period of time than junk food.  Caffeine can help a bit, although some people find it makes them jittery and irritable.\n3. Take walks outside during your daytime breaks-to let your internal clock know when it's daytime.  If you're really tired at night, a brisk walk outside or doing some stairs may help.\n4.  Keep busy.  Don't just sit, other than at your break times, if you can help it.  Offer to stock shelves, run errands, whatever.  When you sit, it usually gets harder to get up and moving again.  The quick nap I took on the job occurred when I sat down after being awake 28 hours.  I had somewhere to rest my head and that was the end of me.  It was harder to work while sitting than it was to be on my feet all night.\n5. Expect to hit a wall.  When I worked overnight shifts, the wall hit about 3am and lasted 'til about 5am and then I got another energy burst and was all right again.  \n6. During your breaks, if you can grab a 15-20 minute nap (pack an alarm clock!), do so.  That 20 minutes can be enough to get you moving again.  Sleep much longer and you could go too deep and then be even more tired.\n7. Get as much rest as possible leading up to your shift.\n8. A few friends have found that eating sunflower seeds can really help-the continual hand-to-mouth action of eating the seeds and taking the outer shell out of the mouth keeps them alert.  Make sure you're allowed to eat before trying this.\n9. Splash cool water on your face when you go to the bathroom or anytime you're feeling drowsy.\n10. Make sure when you get off your shift you don't go and sleep all day-you may mess up your sleep schedule even more.  Allow a two or three hour nap, then go to bed at your regular time that night.\n11. Ask the nurses and doctors you're working with how they handle long shifts; they may have some really good tips for you.\n\nGood luck!
413337
Assuming that you work long hours, I would try cutting the hours down at work. If this is impossible, I have a solution that may help. You need to keep your body temp down. If it is hot, put on the AC and dress in a tank top and shorts. If it is cold outside, turn the heat way down and open a window. Now, drink a lot of cold water. Keep a pitcher next to you. This will cause you to have to go to the bathroom more which will keep you alert. Keep away from snacks. Time yourself to study for 30 minutes per subject and then stop. Any more that this and it is too much info for you to remember in the morning. This will also keep you from burn out.
300842
ips for Getting A Better Night Sleep\n\n1. Avoid Alcohol\n* Alcohol can cause restlessness during the night. Caffeine and nicotine have substances in them that will keep you awake.\n\n2. Avoid Smoking\n* Nicotine has substances in it that will keep you awake.\n\n3. Avoid Caffeine\n* Caffeine has substances in it that will keep you awake.\n\n4. Exercise regularly\n* But do not exercise near your bedtime.\n\n5. Avoid sleep interruptions\n* Don't sleep with the pet, close your door, minimize light and noise.\n\n6. Relax before bedtime\n* A warm bath or light snack\n\n7. Avoid liquids before bedtime\n* Limits having to use the bathroom at night.\n\n8. Avoid long naps during the day\n* Naps can disrupt your sleeping pattern.\n\n9. Avoid trying to sleep\n* the more you "try" to sleep, the more difficult it becomes.\n\n10. Get up at the same time each morning\n* Too much time in bed can lead to restless sleep.\n\n11. Use your bed for sleeping\n* Not for unrelated activities like reading or watching tv.\n\n12. Check your medications\n* Medications might increase your sleep difficulties.
48598
My husband & I work 12 hour swing shifts (on a 2-2-3 rapid rotation). Nightshifts I take an herbal sleep aid called melatonin before I go to sleep for the day. When you work dayshift then nightshift & days again it messes w/ your bodies natural production of seratonin which is needed for normal healthy sleep patterns. Melatonin helps to restore some of this balance. It has also been shown to help w/ migraine headaches. It promotes deeper sleep and/or REM sleep. It is non-addicting. You can buy it at any healthfood stores, drugstore, even walmart. NOTE: recommended dose is 3 mcg(micrograms). Some makers will sell it at a dose as high as 3 mg! This is too much & will leave you feeling groggy.
842888
Try getting regular exercise everyday. People who exercise regularly tend to have less trouble falling and staying asleep. You should also try going to bed at the same time every night. That means no naps during the day, regardless of how little sleep you had the night before. It may take a few weeks, but it should eventually become a habit. I worked a 7a-7p shift for years and had a lot of trouble trying to fall asleep once my schedule changed. I took ambien for some time and had the same experience you're currently having. This was what worked for me, but it did take some getting used to.
1170032
Stay awake until your normal bedtime and this should help put you back on track.  Your body cannot store sleep like a battery.  If you need to sleep late on the weekend, then it is to make up for the sleep deficiency you built up during the week.  It this happens a lot then you might want to adjust your sleep habits so you get more sleep.  Believe it or not you can sleep too much which will make you tired, and yes you can get too tired to sleep well.  The only cure is to stay up until you fall asleep.\n\nWhen you have sleeping problems again try:  Warm Milk at bedtime (yes it works, and it is natural).  Take Melatoin, a neurotransmitter normally produced by the body.  It can be found in most supermarkets and drug stores at a reasonable price.  Develop good Sleep Hygiene; remove the TV from the bedroom, sleep in a dark place, only use your bedroom for sleeping so when you go to bed your body will know it is time to sleep.  If after 20 minutes you don’t fall asleep then get out of bed and do something quiet (read or watch TV) for 20 minutes.  Avoid caffeine after noon, and don’t eat an hour before going to bed (the stomach is still working so it won’t want to go to sleep).  If noises at night disturbs you then get a fan and run it all night, the fan will cover most noises, and your body will get used to the constant noise pretty quickly (make sure you don’t have it on rotate so it won’t disturb you by waving across you, if it gets too cold then point it away from you.\n\nIf the problem continues then you might want to talk with a doctor.  Trazodone is a good medication for this.  It is safe and reasonably priced.  It is an antidepressant, but not a very good one.  It has one major side effect, it makes you sleepy, and it can be used safely for years (after 5-6 years I started hearing a ringing in my ears, which is another side effect, so I stopped taking it, but after being off it for years I am taking it now with no problems.  Drugs like Ambien are meant to only be used for a short time (2 weeks or so), and recently we have heard of problems like sleep walking, sleep driving, or sleep eating (I took it for over 2 years with no problem though).  If these sleep problems continue then you might need a specialist and a sleep study.
1121903
i work 7p-7a three nights a week in trauma icu at a hospital-most of the time (fortunately) i'm so exhausted from running around taking care of the 12+ patients we have that i fall right into bed and i'm out-but occasionally i'm wide awake\n\ni used to work 2nd shift too 3p-11p and would also find myself wide awake when i got home.\n\ni read someone suggesting nyquil-it will make you sleep but has alcohol among other medications that are unneccesary for your body b/c you don't have cold or flu symptoms-plus i've always woken up groggy and my sinuses are icky if i take that.\n\nbenadryl or tylenol pm works best. neither are habit forming and i always wake up feeling rested after taking them. if you don't feel comfortable using medication-then try a nice hot bath or shower and a glass of warm milk-this sometimes makes me sleepy too  : )
94362
I have dealt with insomnia too, and one of the best things you can do is create a regular sleep/wake cycle. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning. It can be hard at first, but it really does help, and you'll feel better emotionally.\nAlso, you can try these tips:\n-cut back on coffee, tea, and soft drinks that contain caffeine; instead drink clear soft drinks like 7-Up and Sprite, or caffeine-free sodas like root beer\n-avoid eating large, heavy meals before going to bed\n-don't exercise too soon before going to bed\n-relax yourself before bed with a hot bath, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation (see my link), etc.\n-have a glass of warm milk and half a turkey sandwich about 30 minutes before going to bed; both contain tryptophan, which will help you sleep\n-don't use your bedroom as a place to work, eat, watch TV, etc.; it should be a place to sleep and rest and that's it\n-avoid alcoholic drinks in the evening\n-listen to calm, soothing music before bed and while you're trying to sleep\n-sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow\n-keep your room at a cool temperature\n-practice deep breathing exercises (see link)\n-avoid naps if they interfere with your sleep/wake cycle\n-once you're in bed, visualize a safe, peaceful scene, like the beach or a rainy day\n-establish a bedtime ritual before going to sleep to key your body to relax; follow the ritual every night\n-keep your bedroom dark\n-sleep in a well-ventilated room\n-don't watch TV, read, or do any other mentally stimulating activity before bed\n-try to get into the habit of sleeping on your back... it's the best position for relaxing because it allows for deep, restful breathing\n\nGood luck!
557930
Try to go to bed early, Avoid use of Tea, coffee, or nicotine 2 hours before sleep.\nHad dinner 2 1/2 hour before , walk after dinner for 10 minutes.\nAvoid day time naps.\nMake your bedroom light dim\nproper ventilated\nTemp control\nListening some slow nice music while on bed\nRead some book \nAvoid drink water at time to sleep\nWork hard during day.
812012
You don't say how long you've been at the job you mentioned, but a change in sleep pattern is normal when we adjust the time of day we sleep.  Sometimes it can take a couple of months to get used to a new schedule.  Try setting an alarm and getting up at a certain time (say 8-9 hours) each day after you work.  Eventually you'll establish a pattern, and not feel so dragged out.