How Do Night Nurses Get Sleep?
Night nurses work the overnight shift at the hospital. They may come in as early as 8:00 PM the night before and work until 7:00 AM the next day.
For people who are used to doing things during the day, the night shift can be a major adjustment.
The one mistake the night nurses can make is to stay awake after their shifts have ended to run errands all day. Before long, it will be time for their next shift, and they haven鈥檛 gone to bed and rested at all. Not getting enough sleep is detrimental to your health. It can also affect your performance on the job.
Make time for sleep
Night nurses will need to schedule their sleep. This means that they let their friends and family know that they are unavailable at a certain time throughout the day because that is when they will be sleeping.
Preparing a darkened room with no interruptions is the best way to settle down for the day. If light is coming through the windows, we are prone to being awake and alert. For night nurses who need to sleep during the day, using curtains or blinds that prevent all outside light from entering the room is vital for a good day鈥檚 sleep.
For good sleep, night nurses should have a comfortable bed with blankets and pillows. We are more prone to give into our sleepiness when we are relaxed and comfortable.
Learning how to wind down
Drinking some caffeine during a shift may keep night nurses alert, but too much caffeine can have the opposite effect. They need to be able to wind down once their shift ends.
Night nurses should stick to their sleep schedule even on days when they don鈥檛 work the night shift. This means that they go to bed during the day on their days off as well. Training the body to sleep during the day and be alert at night requires being consistent as much as possible.
The night shift may seem intimidating at first, but nurses can learn how to manage their sleep while working on the night shift. It takes some adjustment and requires that family members understand why they must sleep in the day time, but it can be done.
