1. Plan for A Good Sleep
You’re going to be working when it’s dark and quiet outside, so naturally, your body will react naturally to your external environment and you might become tired and groggy during your shift. One way to combat this is to make sure you are fully rested before showing up for work.
First, you’re going to want to rearrange your schedule to fit in some time to shut your eyes and get some sleep before your shift. Like always, you want to try to get eight hours of sleep, but you may have a difficult time accomplishing this since you’ll be resting your head on the pillow while everyone else is out and about. That’s why it’s critical to create a space that is conducive to falling asleep.
Buy blackout curtains to stop the sun from coming into your room, get a sleep mask and earplugs to block out extra light and sound, set your room’s temperature to a comfortable setting, and use a white noise machine if you need something else to help you dream.
2. Eat Before Work and Bring Food
If you’re trying to stay alert during your shift, make sure that you set in some time before you head out to eat a meal that will provide you with enough energy to get through. Think about eating something high in protein, like eggs, nuts, or meats, and also consider incorporating whole-grain foods into your diet, like wheat bread, oatmeal, or brown rice.
Don’t just hope that you’ll be able to get through your night shift on just one single meal. Pack yourself a snack that will give you an energy boost if you need it, like a granola bar or leftovers you can reheat. Give your body enough energy and you’ll make it through the night!
3. Keep Lights On and Stay Hydrated
When you’re at work, it’s incredibly important to keep drinking water. Dehydration can cause a massive drop in energy, so ensuring that you have enough water will help you stay alert and ready to go throughout your shift. It’s also crucial to keep yourself awake by staying in rooms where there’s a lot of light, as this will help trick your brain into believing it’s not the middle of the night.
4. Stay Physically Active
When you’re working your shift, you’ll probably be busy moving from room to room, taking care of patients. But there might be some downtime, and if there is, try to keep yourself physically active. Stand up while you’re writing your notes, or take a walk down some hallways to keep yourself moving. By staying active, you’ll have an easier time staying awake throughout the shift.
5. Stick to a Schedule (Even When You Aren’t Working)
When you’re done with your shift, you’ll probably be ready to hit the hay and go to bed. If you have more night shifts coming up in the immediate future, it’s a good idea to stick to your schedule, and sleep during the day. Doing so will keep your body in a new rhythm, and over time, it will become easier for you to sleep during the day and stay awake at night.
If you don’t have another night shift coming up for a while, you might want to try and tough it out and wait until it’s nighttime, so you can get on a more normal sleeping schedule. The moral of the story is, whatever your schedule might be, try your best to stick to it.
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