Optimising Sleep for Shift Workers
The impact of Shift-work on sleep is a growing concern in industries like healthcare, emergency services, hospitality, transport, and mining. Regularly working outside the traditional 9-to-5 routine can take a toll on your rest and overall wellbeing.
While not everyone who works shifts will develop a serious difficulties, research suggests that about 1 in 4 shift workers may experience Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD)— characterised by excessive sleepiness when awake and insomnia during intended sleep periods.
How Shift Work Disrupts Sleep
Shift work doesn’t just prevent sleep whilst on night shift – it, of course, impacts sleep on days off. Our bodies operate on a natural circadian rhythm, a 24-hour internal clock that regulates when we feel alert and when we feel sleepy. This rhythm is closely tied to light exposure and typically encourages us to be awake during the daylight and asleep at night.
Working night shifts, early mornings, or rotating rosters often conflicts with your natural sleep-wake cycle, resulting in what’s known as circadian misalignment. This mismatch can lead to:
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Chronic fatigue
- Poor performance, concentration, and memory
- Mood disturbance, irritability, and/or anxiety
- Increased risk of health issues like heart disease, digestive problems, and depression
There are several practical ways to reduce the impact of Shift-work on sleep, including modifying your environment, routines, and sleep strategies.
Practical Tips to Improve Sleep with Shift Work
Shiftwork places extra demands on our bodies and our minds. While shift work presents challenges, there are ways to support better sleep health:
✅ Optimise Your Sleep Environment
- Use blackout blinds, eye masks, air-conditioning and fans/white noise apps/machines to support daytime sleep
- Ask those at home to support your daytime sleep by keeping noise to a minimum.
🧠 Manage Thoughts That Keep You Awake
- Keep a notepad beside your bed. Jot down worries or tasks before sleeping to get them off your mind.
- Minimise clock-watching as this can increase anxiety.
- Try imagery exercises, audio books, sleep stories, or relaxed breathing for example, “equalising breathing” (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 4) to settle your nervous system.
📅 Create some consistent routines (even when your sleep-wake times vary)
- Use caffeine mindfully and be aware of your sensitivity. Caffeine may be a helpful tool before and early in your shift, but later in your shift it may disrupt your sleep after your shift. A general rule of thumb is to avoid caffeine within about 7 hours of bed – however, adjust this if you feel you are more or less sensitive to caffeine. You can read more about caffeine and sleep here.
- As best you can, stay in the dark before bed – especially in the morning after night shift. If its daylight when you come off nightshift, wear sunglasses and a hat to travel home, and if possible, go straight home rather than to the gym, shops etc.
- Wind down before sleep with a relaxing ritual— a consistent routine signals to your brain and body that sleep time is near. Ideas are things like turning off phone notifications, gentle music, reading, a shower, or herbal tea. If at all possible, resist chores and exercise which can be alerting. Download our Sleep Hygiene Tip Sheet for more practical ways to improve rest.
- A nutritious light meal before a long sleep may help you sleep longer compared to having an empty stomach.
- Experiment with your daytime sleeping pattern, then settle on a routine: does one long sleep after nightshift or two shorter sleeps work best for your during the day? Timetable sleep time and activities such as chores/caring/exercise.
- Consider how naps might support you in your shift work.
- A nap timed close to the start of your night shift may boost alertness and reduce your sleep debt
- Can you nap on shift, even if for 10-15 minutes?
⚠️ Track Your Sleep and Energy
Use a sleep diary to observe patterns in your sleep, energy, caffeine/alcohol intake. It’s a powerful way to learn about your sleep—and gives your clinical team useful info if further treatment is needed.
Screen for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
Untreated OSA can worsen the impact of Shift-work on sleep, making early detection and treatment vital. OSA is a common condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often accompanied by loud snoring or gasping for breath. It is more common with advancing age, being overweight, high blood pressure, and alcohol and sedative use. It can leave you feeling unrefreshed and sleepy and can significantly impact your health. The last thing shift workers need is untreated OSA on their list of sleep concerns. It’s easy to check OSA risk with a free validated questionnaire such as the STOP BANG. If you have elevated risk for OSA, see your GP or reach out to Sleep Matters for further investigation.
While shift work is often unavoidable, understanding the impact of Shift-work on sleep is essential to maintaining long-term health. With the right strategies and support, it’s often possible to improve both sleep quality and overall wellbeing, no matter your schedule.
Need help with your sleep? Contact us at Sleep Matters to learn about navigating shiftwork and our new Comprehensive Sleep Health Assessments.
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