Working nontraditional hours is more common than you might think. In industrialized nations, up to 20% of workers work either night or rotating shifts. Not everyone who works a night shift has sleeping problems, but most do.

The circadian rhythm is so ingrained in us that working nights is going against the body’s natural desire to be asleep at nighttime and awake during the day.

People doing shift work have higher rates of absenteeism and accidents related to sleepiness and fatigue. Memory and ability to focus are impaired, fatigued people are often irritable or depressed.

Night shift workers seem to have a higher risk of ulcers, diabetes and heart disease. The older you are the more likely the negative effects of shift work will have on your health and well-being.

What to look out for

Workers with symptoms listed below should talk with their primary care provider and consider a sleep evaluation with a board-certified sleep medicine specialist:

• Excessive sleepiness during work
• Insomnia during daytime sleep attempts
• Headaches
• Lack of energy
• Difficulty concentrating

Your personal habits

If you’re working the night shift, there are some ways you can adapt your body to that schedule. Those include:

Fixing a bedtime and an awakening time: Do not be one of those people who allows bedtime and awakening time to drift. The body gets used to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Stick to a sleep pattern even on days off work.

Limiting naps during the day: Limit the nap to 30 to 45 minutes and avoid napping within four hours of regular bedtime.

Avoiding alcohol four to six hours before bedtime: Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels in your blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.

Avoiding caffeine four to six hours before bedtime: This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate.
Avoiding heavy, spicy or sugary foods four to six hours before bedtime: These can cause heartburn and affect your ability to stay asleep.

Exercising regularly, but not right before bed: Regularexercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.

Getting ready for bed

A good way to prepare for the day ahead is looking at your habits before bed.

Try a light snack: Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.

Practice relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.

Don't take your worries to bed: Leave your worries about work, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a "worry period" during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues.

Establish a pre-sleep ritual: Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.

Get into your favorite sleeping position: If you don't fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.

Your sleeping environment

Your bedroom should be a place of comfort, where it’s easy to fall asleep.

Use comfortable bedding: Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem and make appropriate changes as need.

Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated: If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.

Block out all distracting noise: Make sure to eliminate light as well.

Reserve the bed for sleep and sex: Don't use the bed as an office, work room or recreation room. Let your body "know" that the bed is associated with sleeping.

It can be tough to work a schedule that goes against the body’s natural rhythm. Yet with these tips, it’s possible to approach your shift as rested as possible.

Get help for sleep trouble

If you’re having problems sleeping more than three times a week for a month, see your health care provider and ask for a referral to Salem Health’s Sleep Center to be evaluated for a sleep disorder.

You will be seen by a sleep medicine specialist who will identify possible sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.

Depending on your needs, sleep testing can be performed in your home or in the state-of-the-art sleep laboratory at Salem Hospital by experienced, licensed sleep technologists.

Identifying and treating the cause of your sleep disturbance can help get you back on the road to a good night’s sleep and improved health.