How to Adjust to Night Shift Work

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The night shift, third shift or graveyard shift is dreadful for many of us. It's the night time when the entire world is sleeping peacefully but certain employees are expected to work with full energy and also be presentable. Sadly, working at nights is not a piece of cake as it is stressful and changes the body clock completely. Many people have got themselves accustomed to such timings due to the need of the hour.

How to Adapt to a Night Shift Work

Today every country is filled with high tech industries that need to work 24/7 to ensure that they provide effective services to their clients. With this 24/7 working hours, comes the responsibility of finding people willing to work in odds hours of the day. There is no denying that sleep is a necessity for life and our brain is wired to sleep at night and remain active throughout the day. It becomes very difficult for the brain to adjust itself to a whole new time table but there are certain tips that can be followed which will make the task of adjusting to a night shift work pretty simple.

Proper Sleep
It is probably the most difficult thing to achieve for people working in night shifts. The body needs minimum 7 hours sleep to ensure it gets rid of all the tiredness. People working night shifts should try to sleep immediately after coming back from work. It is natural that the body won't feel sleepy in the morning and this is something which needs to be worked on. After coming from the shift relax for a few minutes and go for a warm water bath. Have a light breakfast and read a book for sometime, the mind will automatically start feeling sleepy. Make sure the cell phones are on the silent mode and the sleeping session is not interrupted by people.

Comfortable Environment
In spite of being tired, sleep doesn't arrive soon. The mind is so tired but still it can't get rest. The best thing to do in this situation is to create a sleepy environment. This means that shutting the curtains and switching off the cell phones. Turning down the thermostat is also a great option and try wearing an eye mask, it might help. Hang a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the bedroom door.

Healthy Diet
This may sound very repetitive but healthy eating helps to boost a good sleeping pattern. Follow a nourishing diet and do not skip meals. Avoid consuming fast food or soft drinks as they fill the body with empty calories and lead to excessive weight gain. Eat healthy salads frequently. People should avoid indulging in heavy eating after coming home from work. Excess food fills the stomach and makes the person sleep deprived. Drink enough water during the shift, this will save the body from dehydration and will also keep health ailments away.

Regular Exercise
It is not difficult to give an hour to exercising. Lot's of people do it and remain active while working nights. People should avoid exercising before going to bed as a physical workout provides instant energy. The ideal time to exercise is when the body has got enough sleep and is now ready to perform any task.

Taking short naps during working hours makes it very difficult to get proper sleep at home. Don't fill the stomach with high amounts of caffeine, nicotine or alcohol; they disrupt a healthy sleep pattern. If natural ways aren't helping then take a melatonin supplement. Melatonin is naturally secreted by the body during the night time to make sure that the brain feels sleepy