If you are a shift worker such as a nurse, doctor or police officer, you will understand the stressors of doing night shifts. Not only does it mess with your sleeping pattern whilst you are on nights, but you can feel the lag for days afterwards. Not getting enough sleep and sleeping through the day can raise our stress levels and have us feeling moody and fatigued. If you suffer from this after completing your night shifts, follow these simple steps to help chill out and get that sleeping pattern back to normal asap.
Exercise
If you are struggling to sleep following night shifts and you are feeling stressed, exercise could make your body feel more ready to sleep and also tones down stress levels by releasing endorphins. When we partake in any exercise, we are releasing hormones that make us feel good. The last thing we may want to do after a run of nights is go to the gym, but there are plenty of exercises you can do from your own home if getting ready for the gym seems too much. YouTube is great for all different kinds of workouts, from yoga to dance routines.
Having a Routine
When we are on nights, our routine goes all out of whack, but it is best to get back to our normal routine as soon as possible. A good sleeping routine is beneficial, even when on day shifts. Whether it is morning or night in which we are going to sleep, doing the same things before bed can help our brains know it is time to switch off and sleep. This may mean taking a bath or shower before bed, or reading a book. Repeating the same activity before sleep will help your brain associate a certain smell, sound or action with sleeping and therefore it should become easier to sleep after a night shift.
Finding Something That Helps You Relax
If all those night shifts have your stress levels at an all-time high and the lack of sleep is making you go crazy, it is time to treat yourself and free your mind of all thoughts. Doing something that helps us switch off can stop our brain going over and over what has happened at work whilst we are lying in bed unable to sleep. Everyone is different and finding the right thing to help you to de-stress is essential in getting some sleep and relaxing your mind. For some this may be a great massage from heavenandearthmassage.co.uk, for others it may be a bubble bath with candles and a good book or relaxing music. Activities such as these use sounds and smells to help our brains and bodies relax and can be extremely beneficial if you are struggling to de-stress and sleep after night shifts.
Night shifts are difficult for most people and if you are working alternate days and nights, this can be a daunting time. Unfortunately, this comes with many jobs, but finding a good routine and helping our minds and bodies de-stress can be beneficial in getting back to normal after your night shifts.