Sleep Tips For Shift Workers

Having worked shift work for many years, I can tell you that it is no fun trying to get to sleep during the day. Worse still, trying to sleep on the weekends when others are at home making noise and the neighbours are doing their gardening. I naively thought that it would be 'fun' to go to be when others were at work! No, only on cold wet days.

There are two types of shift workers; those who work permanent night shifts and those who work rotating shifts. Of those who I have spoken with, people who work permanent night shift find it a little easier to manage their sleep patterns because they have a routine however I am yet to meet one of them who gets a good sleep every night (day). In fact, most will often sleep at night time on their days off to catch up on lost sleep across the week.

This article will focus on those who work rotating shifts; police, nurses, firefighters, and the like. We can thank science for giving us the progressive shift - where you rotate forward through the shifts from day to evening to night rosters. Previously, we worked a hellish random roster to suit the employer.

Most sleep experts will say it is important to try and stick as close as possible to the normal sleep cycle - 11pm to 7am pattern. Very difficult to do when you work across an entire night. So, should you sleep as soon as you get home or stay up and sleep in the afternoon?

The answer is 'yes', either or depending on YOU. Get to sleep as soon as you get home and then sleep again immediately prior to work. That works for a lot of my former colleagues. However, because we are not all the same, (physiologically, psychologically, and sociologically) what works for me may not work for you.

The answer is trial and error then adhering to a consistent pattern. And patience, plenty of patience. I can't stress (poor word choice) enough the importance of getting into a pattern of behaviour even if it is a 3-week pattern.

Based on all of my readings and my own trial and error, here are some sleep tips for those who work on rotating shifts. Use all, some, or one of these and see how they work for you;

• Do not drink caffeinated drinks after the start of your shift. One cup at the beginning of work is enough to get you through. Also avoid large meals or food high in sugar. When you eat affects your sleep patterns so no food at least four hours before going to sleep. Drink plenty of water for the first half of the shift, if you drink too much across the entire shift you will need to get up to the toilet when you do eventually go to bed.
• Before finishing work, ensure all that you need to do is done so that you won't worry about it later when trying to sleep. Also, make a list of what you have to do the next shift so that you can relax knowing that you have your list.
• If you can, have a shower at work before leaving. Water is a cleanser, as you shower think about how the water is washing away the 'dirt' from the shift. Do this regardless of the shift you worked – early, late, or night time.
• Wear sunglasses when driving home to minimise the production of melatonin from sunlight. Also, do not use smart phones or tablets whatsoever as this also produces melatonin. It takes about four hours from the time melatonin is produced in your brain until it starts to work and make you sleepy.
• When to sleep - sit and relax for half an hour when you get home. A glass of warm milk is beneficial as dairy products are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which helps in the production of the sleep inducing brain chemicals, serotonin and melatonin. Eating a small piece of solid protein will aid in keeping you asleep, for me it’s a piece of cheese.
• The cave (room) where you sleep must be cold (15 to 18 degrees C), must be dark (blinds AND curtains) and quiet (double glazing or wear ear plugs). No phones, no clocks, no TVs. Reading something light can assist in the relaxation process as can listening to soft music.
• Focus your mind on nothing if you can or on one thing if you can't. Your mind will wander, keep bringing it back to that one thing. What that one ‘thing' is should be something that makes you happy, your happy place.
• If you wake, stay in bed. If you get up to go to the toilet you will be hit by daylight which will wake your brain. Lay in bed for as long as you can until you start to get anxious, then get up. If you haven't had enough sleep, then try to get another few hours immediately before you head off to work. If you must eat, eat small. Your biggest meal should be at the beginning of your shift.
• There are plenty of other tips for invoking sleep such as sensory triggers (lavender), relaxation exercises (yoga), drinks (camomile tea) and relaxation exercises (meditation) that can help. Read, research, and experiment yourself to see what works for you. You will probably fall asleep reading some of them!

Stick to the pattern you settle into for at least three full shift rotations and then change something small in your pattern. Your brain doesn’t like big changes when it comes to sleep. If you want a few more tips on sleep, send me a message and I will provide you with additional information.

Good night (day), sleep well.

Should I Get Up At 5am?

I have read many books espousing the benefits of getting up early in the morning to get things done. The military do it, high achievers do it, top athletes do it, and most successful business people do it - they all wake up early in the morning to get a head start on the day.

I used to get up at 5am, drive to work to beat the traffic, go to the gym for an hour, and still be at work before everyone else. In a quiet office you get a lot of work done before the masses arrive. The down side of course is that by 3pm the engine is starting to run out of fuel and I got tired, so tired in fact that I was unable to adequately function and simply went through the motions.

So is getting up early really that good for you? Here's what research tells us;

1. Numerous studies show that students who wake up early have higher grades than those who don't.
2. From 3am onwards, your brain is in its creative period where ideas flow and problems are solved much easier.
3. Early risers generally have better sleep routines therefore sleep more soundly as a consequence.
4. Waking up earlier eliminates the need to rush around in the morning hence reducing the accompanying stress. Plus, you won't be stressing about being late or stuck in traffic.
5. You are less likely to skip breakfast if you get up early. If you skip breakfast, you are more likely to overeat and crave unhealthy foods.

So, research indicates that getting up early is good for us and the benefits of doing so are many. How do you become an early riser, the answer is ‘slowly’. Your brain doesn’t like to be surprised too often. Set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier each week and go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night.

Then it is about a pattern of behaviour – go to the gym, meditate, produce a blog, eat breakfast, have a shower, etc. Do the same things each morning to get yourself into a pattern of behaviour.

While some say it is better to adhere to that same pattern in the weekends, I do not. Weekends are for relaxing, doing what you want to do, and catching with any lost sleep you might need. You might want to still wake at 5am but you might also want to have an afternoon nap.

Faith and Spirituality - Can They Help?

The last in these series of quick fixes to support yourself and others, this one is all about you. Faith and spirituality. Because we are all different, keeping ourselves well requires a variety of solutions. Faith and spirituality is another of those solutions.

Faith is defined as a belief with strong conviction; firm belief in something for which there may be no tangible proof; complete trust, confidence, reliance or devotion. You can have faith in yourself and others, faith that if you sit in a chair it will support you, faith that if you wear a seat belt it will stop you from going through the windscreen, that's what some term natural faith.

However, natural faith isn't enough to support your mental health, if you want to positively support your emotional brain. Faith in this context of faith in a higher power, a belief in god. Spirituality is a term often used for those who are not religious but have an attachment to religious values.

Neuroscience reveals that a certain portion of the brain ignites when we pray or meditate, the part that positively supports our mental wellbeing. Early experiments show that the same portion of our brain ignites when men read adventure novels. (I can’t answer why it is only good for men).

Scientists place their trust in the result of experiments, usually something tangible. A majority of journals that I have looked at suggest that scientists would rather we placed our 'faith' in medicine to make us well and then turn to faith as a backup. Interestingly though, 49% of scientists canvassed in a survey in the United States had a religious faith. What science does tell us that depression and possibly suicide have some genetic cause.

Psychology is where the real benefits of faith and spirituality can be seen. And as we are talking about mental health where better to turn to. Faith and spirituality allow us to focus on the inside of our mind to rationalise our irrational thoughts. It provides a feeling of relief which reduces stress but putting our faith in another. Based on evidence taken from 1200 studies, psychology confirms that the benefits of faith and spirituality include an increased sense of well-being, hope and optimism; lower rates of depression and suicide; less loneliness and less alcohol and drug abuse.

A large study undertaken in 2008 with adolescent substance abuse, anxiety and depression revealed that 92% demonstrated a significant improvement in their wellbeing through ‘religiousness’. In 2012, the American Journal of Psychiatry published the results of a longitudinal study conducted on the children of parents who suffered from depression and found that by having faith or a spiritual belief the children had 76% less chance of experiencing an episode of major depression themselves. This is of benefit if science tells us there is a genetic link.

Whether you have faith, are spiritual, meditate regularly, or read adventure novels, the evidence strongly supports that undertaking any of these practices has enormous benefit to your mental health. So what do you have to lose?

Giving, Does it Help Them or Help Me?

We have been told that 'giving' is good for us as well as those who we are helping. Is that actually true or is it just a way of encouraging us to give to charity? And what is it that we should give, money, gifts, time or something else?

In biblical terms, giving falls under the seven virtues which were established to counter the seven deadly sins, charity being the applicable virtue here. Altruism is an alternate term for charity. Regardless of what term you use, charity or altruism, both are described as promoting concern for others and being a selfless act.

Science tells us that altruism has been around since the ice age when humans learned to help each other to survive, when we do so the part of the brain associated with pleasure and reward is activated. Endorphins and other chemicals are released which make us feel good and protect our immune system.

I am not even going to start espousing the psychological benefits of altruism. Psychology breaks altruism into four types; nepotistic altruism, reciprocal altruism (mutualism), group-based altruism and moral altruism. Know that each of these types has benefits for your wellbeing. Psychology gives altruism a big ‘tick’.

Research indicates that when we give, we actually do feel better. Numerous studies have also shown that people who give often do better in business. Altruism was found to be one of the most common factors across all cultures when looking for a mate! Altruism has also been found to benefit our learning ability; hence the mantra 'Learn one, do one, teach one' is valid.

I could fill pages with the benefits of altruism, but I won't. All of the science, psychology and research I could find (and there were lots of it) indicates that altruism is good for you as well as for the benefactor.

So what can you give instead of money - give of your time, undertake volunteer work, offer up ideas, join a charitable trust, thank everyone who helps you, or in some cases give silence by not saying hurtful things.

Finally, altruism does not appear to be a selfless act after all because of the rewards we get in return. So what are you waiting for, give and you shall receive.  

Offer A Kind Word.

As a former crisis negotiator, I know too well the value of saying the right thing at the right time. It can mean a successful conclusion to a tense situation or a bad end if the wrong thing is said. But is a kind word actually effective in helping others or does it just make you feel good by saying it?

Intuitively, and probably obviously, using harsh words won't win you friends but using nice words and compliments will. Here are some lesser known facts about the words that we use.

Science tells us that words are processed in the left side of the brain, the logic side. When we hear a song for example, the words are processed on the left and the music is processed on the right side of the brain, the creative side. Logic equals listening intently without emotion therefore we need to take care in what we say.

Psychology tells us that the words we use when talking to others indicates our own personality, emotional state, social connection and thinking style. Offering kind words increases connections in the brain and with the other person. Kind words are contagious, if someone says a nice word about you there is a tendency for you to do the same for someone else.

Research conducted on words revealed that calling a female partner 'baby' releases oxytocin in her brain therefore makes her feel good. Hence the wide use of the term 'babe'. If we hold positive words in our brain and repeat them over and over it motivates us into action. Conversely, using words such as 'can't, 'won't', and 'no' have a negative effect on us. The word 'because' has been found to be persuasive when used in sentences. People hear up to the word ‘because’ and become satisfied at that point with what you have just said. "You need to do this because...." and they don't care why.

Studies are continuing into the longer term benefits of offering someone a kind word, overwhelming evidence is that the short term benefits are enormous. As with smiling and hugging, saying a kind word not only helps the other person it also helps you. 

In the words of Thumper from the movie Bambi; "If you can't say something nice, don't nothin at all".