Bedtime Rituals
- Take a warm bath.
- Lower the room temperature (a cool environment improves sleep).
- Don’t “activate” your brain by looking at the clock, balancing a checkbook or doing other stressful activities.
- Go to bed when sleepy.
- Get up about the same time every day.
- Maintain a regular schedule.
Light
- Dim the bedroom and bathroom lighting
- Install light blocking and sound absorbing curtains and or shades.
- Wear eyeshades.
Sound
- Try wearing earplugs.
- Use a white noise machine, or a fan to block other noises.
- Install carpeting and drapes to absorb sounds.
- Unplug the telephone.
Food
- Avoid Caffeine less than five hours before bedtime.
- Don’t stop for a drink after work; although at first you may feel relaxed, alcohol disturbs sleep.
- Eat a light snack before bedtime. Don’t go to bed hungry.
Exercise
If you exercise after work, make sure you finish at least three hours before you plan on going to bed. Exercise is alerting and raises the body temperature, it should not be done too close to bedtime. You may want to begin exercising after you sleep instead.
Sleeping Pills and Aids
Prescription sleep medications do not cure sleep problems, but they are recommended for short-term use. If you feel you may benefit from a sleep aid, be sure to tell your doctor that you are a shift worker. These medications may be helpful for one or two sleep cycles after a shift schedule change. Talk to your doctor about whether this type of medication is right for you.
Melatonin is a chemical that is naturally produced by the body to help induce sleep. Melatonin supplements have been advertised as sleep aids, however; studies have not shown that melatonin helps those with frequent shift changes. Questions about the safety and dosing have not been answered, and the F.D.A.C. considers melatonin experimental.
The Ride Home
Driving home after work can be risky for the shift worker, particularly since you have been awake all night and the body needs sleep. For the evening worker coming home around midnight, the risk of meeting drunk drivers is higher. People think that opening the car windows or listening to the radio will keep them awake, however; studies show that these methods work for only short periods of time. If you are sleepy when your shift is complete, try taking a nap before driving home. Remember, sleep can quickly overcome you when you least expect or desire it to.
Tips for the ride home
- Carpool. Have the most alert person do the driving.
- Drive defensively.
- Don’t stop for a “night cap”.
- If you are sleepy, stop to nap, but do so in your locked car in a well-lit area.
- Take public transportation.
Operating Equipment Safely
If you operate heavy equipment or drive a vehicle during your shift work, you must pay careful attention to signs of sleepiness and fatigue. To ignore signals such as yawning, frequent blinking, a sense of tiredness or a failure to make routine safety checks may put you and others at risk. If you feel sleepy or drowsy, stop your work as soon as safely possible. Contact your supervisor and request a break or nap, or have a caffeinated product in order to help increase alertness. Remember, caffeine is a stimulant and is only effective for short periods of time.
Caffeine is not a substitute for sleep.
If you have tried some of these tips and your efforts to get enough sleep are not successful, or if you get enough sleep and still feel tired, it may be time to seek professional help. If problems persist, talk to your heath care provider. Remember, when you are not getting the sleep you need, you are at risk…and so are those around you. Inadequate sleep increases your risk for falling asleep at the wheel, accidents on the job, and problems at home. Your doctor can help you identify the cause, which can be successfully treated or managed. Your doctor can evaluate your sleep problem and determine if you suffer from a sleep disorder. Sleep specialists have additional training in sleep medicine and can both diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders.