What is the best sleep schedule for people who work rotating shifts?
Q: For people that work rotating schedules, is there a particular schedule you recommend? I work 5 person, 12 hour shifts and I’m on duty 24/7.
A: No matter what your work shift, the best sleeping schedule is the one that is as consistent as possible. For shift workers, it’s best to go to bed an hour later each night (or morning) and wake up later than to shift backwards by going to bed earlier.
The constant change is rough on the chronobiological clock that maintains hormone release, periods of wakefulness and sleep, and many other bodily functions. People who work the permanent night shift can adapt more easily, but swing shifts keep the biological clock guessing.
No matter what your work shift, the best sleeping schedule is the one that is as consistent as possible. For shift workers, it’s best to work with the circadian rhythm by having a sleep schedule that delays clockwise rather than counter-clockwise.
In other words, it’s better to go to bed an hour later each night (or morning) and wake up later than to shift backwards by going to bed earlier. This same effect is true of jetlag: it’s easier to fly West and delay your sleep a couple hours than going East and trying to sleep earlier.
Also, you may want to look into dividing your sleep into one long laydown, buffered by one or two shorter naps. Take naps during your breaks if possible, and mix these with more active breaks where you get some fresh air or take a brisk walk around the facility.
Here are a few other things to do to help you get the most out of your sleep:
- Wear blue light-blocking sunglasses on the morning drive home
- Have heavy light-blocking curtains and good white noise protection for your long sleep after work.
- Eye masks and ear plugs do wonders for naps at the workplace – for an alarm set your mobile phone on buzzer too and keep it in your pocket.
- For days off, try to keep the same schedule, or begin shifting towards your next shift change an hour a night.
- If you do have to get ready for a shift that will force you to sleep earlier (or not at all), bright light therapy can help with retraining your rhythms quickly, either with morning walks outside or with a light box.
Related Questions:
- How can I adjust my “night owl” schedule to that of an “early bird”?
- How can I train myself to sleep at night instead of during the day?
- Jetlag: Is it better to take a 30-minute power nap or just push through and go to bed early?
Academic References:
Crowley SJ, Lee C, Tseng CY, Fogg LF, Eastman CI. Combinations of bright light, scheduled dark, sunglasses, and melatonin to facilitate circadian entrainment to night shift work. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 2003 Dec;18(6):513-23.
Waage, Siri et al., Shift Work Disorder Among Oil Rig Workers in the North Sea, Sleep. 2009 April 1; 32(4): 558–565.
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