Waking up and being active at night when you have a night shift can have a direct impact on your health because it goes against your body’s biological clock. This is because the night is the time to sleep and the day is the time for activities.
A person who gets a night shift is very susceptible to sleep disturbances which not only reduces the time to rest but in the long term sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on physical health.
Working the night shift is closely related to sleep disorders
There is a term shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), which is a sleep disorder characterized by insomnia and excessive and persistent sleepiness caused by working hours. Indeed, not all night shift workers experience this disorder because they have been able to adapt. However, for people who experience it they also become sleep deprived.
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Normal shift workers can meet the need for sleep with a duration of 7 hours a night, while shift workers who experience sleep disorders cannot. People with SWSD experience insomnia and sleepiness when they work. Not only has an impact on activity patterns, sleep disturbances also increase the risk of work accidents, trigger emotional disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and increase blood pressure and trigger obesity.
Signs of sleep disturbances caused by night work shifts
Sleep disturbances in those who work night shifts can cause several symptoms such as:
1. Extreme sleepiness at work
2. Insomnia
3. Don’t feel refreshed when you wake up from sleep
4. Concentration disorders
5. The appearance of eye bags
6. Feeling weak
7. Experiencing depressive symptoms
8. Irritable
Symptoms of sleep disorders that are most at risk of causing accidents are microsleep in which a person falls asleep by himself without realizing it. This can happen when a person is doing some work and loses consciousness within a few seconds.
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Overcome sleep disorders due to work shifts at night
SWSD sleep disorders can be experienced by anyone who works with a shift system. Whether you have a night shift every day, several times a week, or a shift that requires you to leave early in the morning. Sleep disturbances occur when sleep deprivation is chronic and causes too much sleep debt.
Here are some things that can be done to overcome sleep disturbances due to shift work:
1. Avoid taking continuous night shifts
This can lead to increased sleep debt. In addition, sleep disturbances can be minimized by immediately improving sleep hours immediately after working a shift.
2. Avoid driving, especially if the distance is far
Take a break immediately when there is time after the shift is over. Try to take public transportation, be picked up, or order transportation online when you get home. If you are tired and very sleepy after work, driving is certainly very dangerous. Especially if the distance from your place of work to your home is far.
3. Create a work atmosphere that helps you stay awake
A well-lit workplace is essential when working the night shift. Exposure to bright light will increase your alertness and help regulate the body’s biological clock to stay awake during work and this is needed to adapt to a night shift work schedule.
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4. Reduce light exposure when resting
This is an important preparation when you are about to start your rest time because with a minimal amount of light it will help the brain and body to fall asleep. Install thick curtains and dark colors so that sunlight does not penetrate into the room while you sleep in the morning or afternoon.
5. Therapan sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene is the habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, creating a comfortable room atmosphere, and minimizing light exposure when going to bed.
6. Make sure your room temperature is right
Temperatures that are too warm or cold can wake you up from sleep and can make it difficult to fall asleep again.
7. Limit caffeine consumption
Only consume caffeinated drinks (such as coffee or energy drinks) when you are about to start working the night shift only and avoid consuming them after your shift.
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8. Don’t play on your cellphone or laptop before going to bed
Avoid playing on cellphones, laptops, computers, or watching television before your bedtime. Instead of being sleepy, you will actually be increasingly unable to sleep because of the blue light effect from the screen.
9. Adjust your diet
Reset meal times with larger portions when you wake up and will work shifts, avoid eating too much before falling asleep.