Women who work the night shifts or work very late into the night at the office are often insomniac. How can you fight sleeping problems? Working at night is stressful for our body. We were biologically designed to be active during the day and rest at night. The way our body functions and the type of hormones it produces differ depending on whether we are asleep or awake. If your sleeping schedule is off track, it can disturb the normal sleep-wake cycle. The body becomes unable to function the way it is supposed to. That leads to insomnia and health problems. Here are some tips on how to mitigate effects of the disturbed cycle.
Sleep-Awake Schedule
Stick to your sleeping schedule. If you work the night shifts through the week, try to stay awake during the day and sleep at night when your days off come. That won’t disturb your body. Shifting the sleeping schedule is a less drastic way. For example, when you have a day off, go to bed at 4 a.m. and sleep till noon. Doing so, you reduce the time between falling asleep and waking up from 12 hours to just 2-3 hours.
Diet during Night Work
Make sure you have a hearty dinner before going to work. That will ensure healthy digestion process to give you energy for the night. Towards the morning, when you are ready to sleep, your stomach will be empty. Reduce the consumption of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and the like to the minimum. You can drink them only at the beginning of the shift. Caffeine works within 4-6 hours and may keep you awake when it’s time to sleep.
Drinks for the Night Shift
Natural juices or regular water are better drinks for the night. In stressful situations, our body consumes more fluid that has to be replenished. Hopefully, your employer provides office water coolers so that you have access to good drinking water at no cost.
Vitamins to Improve Working Efficiency
The stress related to working the night shifts or overwork results in increased body consumption of the B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. That’s why you have to supplement their deficiency. Taking multivitamins might help.
Smoking and Night Work
Don’t smoke a lot. Similar to caffeine, nicotine acts as a stimulant. Smoke out your last cigarette two hours before bed.
How to Stay Healthy with Night Shifts
Take more time for yourself and keep a healthy lifestyle. Do more walking and exercise at least for half an hour every day. Running, swimming, fitness, and shaping will help not only maintain a good fitness level but also provide support for healthy sleep.
