Night shift/swing shift

walleyebob977

Ok need some tips. I work swing shift and when I get off nights at 6am my mind is racing but my body is tired so I go to bed but I only get 4 to 5 hours of sleep. It's not like working days when I get off I have a few hours to unwind before bed. I have tried sleeping pills yes they work but hate the feeling of them. Any tips thanks.

knra_grl

Sorry - have been working shift work for 16 yrs - When I was younger I could do literally anything on 4 hrs sleep. Now when I work nights I maybe get 5 or 6 hrs and that's it - my biggest problem is getting back to a normal "day mode" after working nights.

I know - no help at all but I can relate to your issue

mercurywinks

Hi! I'm a nightshift worker myself, and what I do to help me fall into a deep sound sleep is set a routine. Make a little pattern of things you ALWAYS do before you go to sleep, this helps get your brain into the set of "oh, okay, its time to sleep."
Something else that helps me is a white noise app. You can play it on your radio, or your phone or computer. You can usually pick from a multitude of sounds and just let it play, this often helps put you into a deeper sleep.
If none of these things work you may just have to rotate your sleeping schedule, tough it out in the mornings and sleep at night before work, it will suck at first, but that may just be the better option for you.

EvanElric

I have that mind racing problem too. http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBoTun54dQmzQMTxWTdJ9Sg "relaxing sounds for sleep."

Works for me most of the time, you should try (:

wannakimmy

I work 3rd shift as well. I tend to sleep better when I stay up after work like normal people and then sleep in the afternoon, and wake up and go to work. You may just have to move your sleep schedule if life allows that...

KhatLady

I've been full-blown night shift for about 8 years now. I'm guessing you don't have a choice about swing shift, but if you do, I'd push for a set schedule. Night shift is bad enough for your health, but at least you can adjust. The back and forth of day-sleeping/night-sleeping is brutal. This is why my husband and I remain on night-shift hours even on days off. The only time we move to daylife is when we have like a week to adjust.

I'd really stay away from the sleeping pills. They never give good sleep and you end up feeling run-down and flu-ish. Especially if you have other sleeping problems like insomnia or apnea. Same goes for alcohol. You might get groggy, but the sleep you get is going to be garbage and you'll wake up feeling worse than when you went to bed. Switch to something like Sleepytime Tea. It doesn't knock you out like sleeping pills, but it is rather calming and lets you get better sleep. Make it part of your bedtime routine like mercurywinks mentions.

Unless you *have* to go to bed as soon as you get home, I'd make use of the same few hours to unwind before bed every night. Taking a hot bath or going for a swim if that's an option is a good way to let your body and mind relax.

Smells like lavender are good for promoting a quiet mind at bedtime. Obviously, it's not safe to leave anything burning while you're sleeping, so you might want to make or get a room spray to use in your bedroom. Scented oils, potpourri, unburned incense/candles, even fresh drier sheets will work. If you don't like lavender, you can try something else warm and spicy like cinnamon or sandalwood. Just stay away from "bright" scents like citrus because they are energizing.

Blacking out your room or using a sleep mask is a must because your body is not going to register "bed time" if there's sunlight beaming in your face. Because we are always nightshift, much of our apartment is blacked out. We make it a point to open the shades when the sun comes up - it helps us stay awake and feel better in general because your body does need sunlight. When we close them before bed, it becomes another signal for your body that it's time to settle down.

My husband is a white noise sleeper. He finds the noise of the fan relaxing. I, on the other hand, have a noise sensitivity and find certain sounds {like repetitive or mechanical noise} highly irritating. I've had to use music to sleep since I was a child. Right now I have a playlist of quiet songs that runs about 2 hours. I turn it down low enough that I can barely hear it over the fan. They are songs I know well enough that it only takes a few notes to identify, and because they are playing so quietly, my brain kind of takes over so I'm hearing it more in my head than with my ears. It distracts my brain from thinking about -everything under the bright, hot, unrelenting sun- so it can fade off into dreamland. You can also try nature sounds, "meditative" music, instrumental music, chanting or just the sound of a monotone dude reading the dictionary.

Also, avoid things like computer games. People say to avoid TV too, but I find educational shows relaxing. Unless they're explode-y, like Mythbusters. Highly stimulating things like video games and loud movies or shows can make it hard for the brain to quiet down. A lot of people recommend "unplugging" and reading for an hour before bed.

beautifulwarrior18

Try melatonin. My mom swears by it. I wish I could be of more help, but I have no problem sleeping during the day. Sorry.

Meushichan

I work 3rd shift as well. I tend to sleep better when I stay up after work like normal people and then sleep in the afternoon, and wake up and go to work. You may just have to move your sleep schedule if life allows that...

I do the same as well. I work 11p-7am, and if I try to go to sleep before 9 am, I sleep like 4 hours then am just grumpy. I get home, relax, have a meal, do a few chores, watch some TV, check FB/ call a friend, etc. I usually end up going to bed around 11 am, and sleeping till at least 6 pm.