3 Ways to Improve Sleep for Night Shift Workers

Working late night shifts, or third shift, means being awake for most of the night and early morning hours. Circadian rhythm instructs us to sleep during the night, and wake during the day. The natural instinct to wake while the sun is up makes it incredibly hard to sleep during the day. By tricking the mind into thinking it's dark outside, late night workers can get a far better quality of sleep.

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Room Darkening Curtains & Ear Plugs

With the sun shining brightly through windows and the neighbor's lawn mower roaring by outside, it's no wonder shift workers get poor sleep. Room darkening curtains are capable of blocking out nearly all of the light entering through windows. This darkness allows the brain to trigger sleep hormones, rather than keeping the individual awake. Ear plugs can help to block out loud noises, which could frequently wake the worker during the busiest hours of the day.

Strict Sleeping Schedule

Sleep schedules should be strictly adhered to. There should be an exact time that one falls asleep, and an exact time to wake up. While this isn't as much of an issue for those who sleep during the night, people who sleep during the day already have a greatly confused Circadian rhythm. The smallest change in sleep could have dire consequences (including insomnia) for several days to follow.

Comfortable Bed

A comfortable bed is very important for good sleep. An old, broken, worn down bed may cause lots of tossing and turning or the inability to get comfortable enough to fall asleep in the first place. Shopping for natural mattresses Oregon will give the worker an idea of the type of mattress that he or she needs, including the firmness, size, and materials it's made of.

For night shift workers, getting a good day's sleep can be very hard. Since plentiful sleep is important for health and job performance, it's important to make it as easy as possible for the mind and body to fall asleep and sty asleep.