Sound Sleep Guide

Posts Tagged ‘shift workers’

If you discover that you cannot work for the number of hours you used to, or if the cost of shift working is finally starting to wear on your health, you could be experiencing shift work sleep disorder or SWSD. This condition might mean that you are increasingly sleepy through the daytime but unable to sleep while struggling to keep yourself from falling asleep on the job when working the night shift. Here are several things that you can do in order to treat the symptoms.

The most obvious remedy is to try to modify your work schedule to hours that are more sociable. By working at night, you are confusing your body’s internal clock, called the circadian rhythm, which regulates itself with the rising and setting of the sun to know when it is time to wake and sleep respectively. Shift work pushes your body into an abnormal state of working when it should be asleep and sleeping when it would ordinarily be awake. This is the reason that you feel sleepy during the night and then are unable to drop off during the day although you are very tired. Consequently, if feasible, it is in your best interests to have a chat with your work supervisor to see if shift changes can be made.

Here are some sleep strategies for shift workers that you may like to try. If you are unable to alter your working schedule, there are several other actions you can take to minimize the effects on your body.  When you are working, avoid drinking the likes of tea, coffee and other caffeinated beverages to keep yourself awake. Although the caffeine can act as a stimulant to some folks, the effects are short lived and you will in all likelihood feel even more tired and groggy after the original buzz has worn off. Caffeine in addition dries out the respiratory tracts, which could contribute to sleep apnea syndrome and snoring when you eventually try getting some shut eye. As an substitute, try to drink natural fruit crushes or even plain water.  In addition, ask your physician about any natural supplements you could take while working to keep yourself alert.

Other symptoms connected with shift work sleep disorder include insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness. The last mentioned is closely connected with a chronic neurological disorder called Narcolepsy where a sufferer may find themselves doing things that they are unable to remember afterwards or experiencing dramatic dreams while not actually sleeping. Additional consequences of SWSD are fatigue, reduced ability to concentrate or focus, irritability and feelings of tenseness and depression.

Maintaining a record of your work schedules and sleep patterns is normally sufficient information for your physician to make a proper diagnosis. However, for ongoing sleep issues or if an underlying sleep disorder is suspected, you might be required to keep a sleep diary in which you keep a record of your sleeping habits. You should also endeavor to maintain a regular sleep schedule, even on your days off or at weekends. If you believe they may be helpful, ask your doctor about medications like Ritalin or Melotonin. It is crucial that you do not try and self diagnose your problem as it might be something more than a shift work sleep disorder.