Shift work no longer makes you sleepless! Four tips to help you improve your sleep quality

Nowadays, many professions require shift work. However, one of the biggest problems that shift work brings to employees is that it affects their sleep health. Long-term irregular work and rest schedules and reversal of day and night not only cause physical fatigue, but may also have a negative impact on mental health. The following will introduce you to scientific methods to help shift workers improve their sleep quality, say goodbye to insomnia, and restore the body's normal biorhythm.

1. Adjust your work and rest schedule to maintain “core sleep”

For shift workers, one of the most important sleep strategies is to adjust their work and rest schedule. The so-called "core sleep" refers to a relatively continuous, high-quality sleep that everyone needs every day. Scientific research shows that adults generally need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, but the key is not simply the sleep time, but the continuity and quality of sleep.

Ensure sleep time: Try to find a quiet, undisturbed environment after your shift and ensure that you can get at least 4 to 6 hours of undisturbed continuous sleep. Even if you can't get the standard 7 to 9 hours, you need to keep your core sleep time as continuous as possible to avoid waking up frequently.

Segmented sleep: For some shift workers, especially those who rest during the day after a night shift, it may be difficult to get a long sleep. At this time, segmented sleep can be an effective coping strategy. For example, take a short nap within a few hours after work to supplement some basic rest, and then have a second round of longer sleep to ensure sufficient recovery time.

Create an ideal sleeping environment: Whether it is daytime or nighttime, the sleeping environment is crucial. Avoid external noise, light, and temperature changes that affect sleep. Use tools such as blackout curtains, earplugs, or white noise machines to create a quiet, dark, and suitable environment that helps restore deep sleep.

Adjust your sleep schedule: Although shift work may cause the day to alternate with the night, try to keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time every day to help your body gradually adjust to a new schedule.

2. Reasonably control the time and amount of caffeine intake

Avoid drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages during late-night shifts or close to bedtime. The effects of caffeine usually last for several hours, and it is best to avoid drinking coffee or energy drinks six hours before your break.

Reduce caffeine intake and choose low-caffeine drinks or alternative drinks, such as green tea and lemonade. Develop a good habit of drinking water regularly to maintain the body's water balance and avoid fatigue caused by dehydration.

Pay attention to the side effects of medications. Some medications may also contain caffeine or other stimulant ingredients, so pay attention to the medication labels.

3. Maintain healthy eating and exercise habits

Maintain a balanced diet: Eat more foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, nuts, etc., and give priority to high-quality protein: such as fish, poultry, beans, low-fat dairy products, etc., to provide sustained energy and avoid blood sugar fluctuations.

2. Avoid having too much dinner: Eating too much will increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract and make it difficult to fall asleep. Try to avoid eating too much greasy, spicy or heavy-tasting food, and choose easily digestible food, such as boiled vegetables, white meat, whole grains, etc. Dinner should be kept at least 1.5 to 2 hours away from bedtime to give the gastrointestinal tract enough time to digest. Avoid eating too much protein at dinner, which will increase the digestive burden of the gastrointestinal tract and affect sleep. You can choose low-protein, high-fiber foods to help the body enter a resting state faster.

3. Exercise moderately: Exercise can not only improve physical health, but also promote metabolism, help consume accumulated stress and fatigue in the body, and relieve the physical discomfort caused by shift work. Exercise can also stimulate the body to secrete some hormones that are beneficial to sleep, such as endorphins and hypnotic hormones, thereby helping shift workers to enter deep sleep more easily. Avoid strenuous exercise and choose soothing exercise: such as walking, yoga, Tai Chi, etc. Try to choose to exercise during the day or before work, and avoid high-intensity exercise at night. If you must exercise before the night shift, it is recommended to do light activities, such as stretching, walking, etc.

4. Relaxation training

Relaxation training can relax the body and brain by adjusting the body's physiological state, relieving tension, relaxing muscles, and helping to reduce the secretion of stress hormones (such as cortisol). For shift workers, relaxation training can help reduce the emotional burden at work, gradually restore the body and mind to balance, and thus improve sleep quality.

(1) Deep breathing exercises

Slow, deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and promote physical relaxation. Method: Find a quiet place, sit or lie down, close your eyes, and relax your whole body. Inhale slowly and deeply, try to fill your abdomen with air and feel your abdomen expand. After pausing for 1-2 seconds, exhale slowly through your nose to expel the gas from the body, and try to make the exhalation time longer than the inhalation. Repeat deep breathing for 5-10 minutes, focusing on the feeling of each inhalation and exhalation.

(2) Meditation practice

Meditation is a way to clear your mind and reduce stress by focusing your attention and relaxing your mind. How to practice meditation: Find a quiet, comfortable place with minimal distractions. Sit down with your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Gently close your eyes and focus on your breathing. You can choose a quiet word (such as "calm" or "peaceful") to say with each breath to help you focus. If distracting thoughts come to your mind, don't worry, gently bring your attention back to your breathing and continue meditating. Each meditation session lasts 10-20 minutes.

(3) Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for relieving physical tension by gradually tensing and relaxing muscles. Method: Find a quiet place, lie down or sit down, and relax your whole body. Start with your feet, slowly tighten your foot muscles, hold for 5-10 seconds, and then relax. Then gradually move up, tensing and relaxing your thighs, abdomen, arms, shoulders, neck, and facial muscles. Do each part in order, making sure to stay still when tensing and relax your muscles as much as possible when relaxing. After completing the whole body exercise, focus on feeling the relaxation and ease of your body.

Relaxation before bed

Relaxing activities can help divert attention, reduce daytime stress, and promote a good night's sleep. Relaxing activities before bed: Listening to soothing music: Such as classical music or the sounds of nature can help relax the brain. Reading: Choose some relaxing books or stories to help the brain break away from intense work and prepare for sleep. Soak your feet or take a warm bath: Soaking your feet or taking a warm bath can relax the body and relieve the fatigue of the day. It also helps to lower the body temperature and promote sleep.

Author: Dai Hongyan and Wang Bei, Wuhan Children's Hospital