Shift work, 12 hour days and nights, how to sleep ?

Shift work, 12 hour days and nights, how to sleep ?

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Register1

Original Poster:

2,129 posts

93 months

Saturday 22nd July 2017
quotequote all
Hi all,

A question for past or present shift workers.

Doing 12 hour days, (2) then 12 hour nights (2) some times on my day shifts, I just can not get off to sleep.

Is, the night before my first day shift,cane the night before my second day shift.

Suggestions?

I need out of bed at 04:45 of a morning, to get ready for work.
Some nights, I will see the clock, 1:00 o' clock, 2:00 o'clock, and think, sh!t, I am getting up in 2 hours !!!

How to get to sleep.???

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 22nd July 2017
quotequote all
it is hard to sleep when you want but cut down caffeine, gentle exercise, light meals, lots of foods with sleep attributes, milk etc. ear plugs, and a eye mask. there is no sure fire way just try what works.

helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Saturday 22nd July 2017
quotequote all
Sleeping during the night after day shifts:

Don't go to bed late (maybe 22:00)
Do some exercise during the day.
Eat and drink healthy stuff during the day
If you drink alcohol have a moderate amount of alcohol in the evening (experts will disagree with this suggestion)

Adapting to shift work really depends on the person, different things work for different people.


oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Saturday 22nd July 2017
quotequote all
Sleep easy tea (made by clipper) might help, or any other tea containing valerian. I find these really helpful anyway.

Also a dawn simulator alarm clock helps with waking at the right time

rolex

3,110 posts

257 months

Monday 24th July 2017
quotequote all
oldbanger said:
Sleep easy tea (made by clipper) might help, or any other tea containing valerian. I find these really helpful anyway.

Also a dawn simulator alarm clock helps with wking at the right time
well done the profanity filter

DMN

2,982 posts

138 months

Tuesday 25th July 2017
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For getting to sleep the night before the day shift; about an hour before you go to bed try to relax the mind. I normally do this with some herbal tea and some crap comedy on TV. Enough to distract the brain and slow it down. Put the phone, tablet and/or laptop down. The screens give off enough light to make the brain still think its day time. Some phones now have a night time setting, where the screen isn't as bright.

When on night shift, do not drink any sugar or caffine after 1am (or ideally midnight). Chew sugar free chewing gum if your struggling to stay away, but you need the body free of stimulants for when you finally hit the pillow.