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Tips for Surviving Night Shift Nursing
Blog/Tips for Surviving Night Shift Nursing
Night shift nursing is a rewarding profession that often pays more than traditional nurse positions. Besides the extra pay, you'll usually have a slower-paced workday with fewer distractions and more time to respond to patient calls or catch up on administrative tasks. However, switching to a night shift schedule can be challenging, and you may take a while to adjust.
We've compiled this list of tips for night shift nursing to help you adapt to your new role. You'll adapt seamlessly with care and preparation.
1. Prioritizing Sleep
Sleep is vital for your well-being and the patients under your care. Studies show that medical staff who get consistent, quality sleep provide better care, make fewer errors and maintain optimal immune function to prevent infections. Though these facts should be common knowledge, more than a third of Americans sleep less than seven hours per night.
You'll need to focus on your sleep to survive night shift nursing. Here are a few techniques to get high-quality sleep during the day.
Set a schedule:
A consistent routine can help your body adjust to night shift work. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day for the best results, even on your days off.
Get enough sleep:
You should aim for at least seven hours of sleep every 24 hours. If this is not possible, ensure your sleep quality is as good as it can be so you're not as tired.
Create an ideal sleep setup:
Install blackout curtains and use earplugs and soft sleep masks to eliminate noise, light and other distractions during the day. You can also turn off your phone and keep the temperature in your room comfortable.
2. Nutrition and Meal Planning
Everyone should eat high-quality, nutrient-rich meals, especially night shift nurses. A healthy diet will help you feel energized and avoid energy crashes at work. It can also make the shift to a night work schedule easier on your body.
Try the following advice to maintain a balanced diet.
Eat right:
Eat three meals daily, combining fresh produce, lean protein and whole grains. Eat a lighter meal right before going to sleep.
Set a schedule:
A consistent eating schedule can help stabilize your energy levels. Aim to eat at typical mealtimes and avoid eating between
if possible.
Plan weekly menus:
Set aside time to prep all your meals for a week so you don't have to worry about cooking daily.
Pack snacks:
Take some healthy snacks — such as nuts, fruit, boiled eggs or jerky — to work to keep your energy up and hunger levels low. Avoid sugary snacks and processed foods, which will make you feel sleepy.
Drink water:
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout your shift. If you'd like to drink caffeine for an extra energy boost, do so only at the start of your shift so you can sleep easier when you get home.
3. Managing Circadian Rhythms
Your circadian rhythm is your body's natural 24-hour cycle that controls your energy levels throughout the day. Most people are diurnal, sleeping at night and being awake during the day. Your body may take a while to adjust when you switch to sleeping during the day.
Try the following night shift nursing tips to help this process along.
Use light:
Light and dark significantly influence our circadian rhythms. Use this to your advantage by spending time in brightly lit areas when you wake up and for the first half of your shift. Closer to bedtime, reduce your exposure to light and sleep in a dark room.
Take naps:
Take naps during your shift breaks if possible.
can increase your energy without disrupting your sleep later.
4. Staying Active and Alert
While night shifts in hospitals are usually slow and calm, you still need to stay alert if an emergency happens. Try the following to keep active during your shift and sleep well during the day.
Work out:
At least
— like running, walking and strength training — five days a week will improve your physical and mental health. You can exercise before or after your shift, depending on how workouts affect your energy.
Stay on your feet:
Moving throughout your shift can help you stay alert. You can walk up and down stairs, do standing stretches or dance to music.
Remain busy:
Bring books and puzzles or chat with colleagues to keep your mind alert in quieter moments.
6. Coping With Social and Personal Challenges
Night shift nursing may make it harder for you to socialize and participate in events outside work, since you're usually asleep when the world is awake. Despite this, it's possible to prioritize your personal life and relationships to improve your mental health and have a better work-life balance.
Here are a few strategies to overcome the challenges of night shift nursing.
Maintain your social life:
Make a conscious effort to maintain your relationships outside work. Stay in touch with family and friends, get together on your days off and plan your sleep schedule around unmissable events.
Communicate your schedule:
Everyone else will be awake and demanding your attention when you should be sleeping. To minimize disturbances, let your friends and family know about your schedule and ask them to be quiet during these times.
Balance your commitments:
You have limited time during daylight hours to see friends, attend events or do chores. Learn to recognize things that are not a priority and politely decline.
7. Developing a Relaxation Routine
Night shifts may increase in intensity before the morning nurses take over, leaving you energetic and overstimulated when you need to sleep. A consistent relaxation routine can help you wind down after work, but it's also vital for self-care.
Here are a few ways to relax, unwind and calm down after coming off the night shift.
Try wind-down rituals:
Doing the same steps every day before bed can signal to your brain that it's time to go to sleep. An example of a wind-down ritual is drinking a soothing cup of herbal tea, turning off your phone and reading a book.
Relieve stress:
It's hard to sleep when you're anxious or tense after work. Find activities that relieve your stress, like taking a bath, walking outside, doing
or meditating.
Take time for hobbies:
It's easy to get swept up in daily life, but you must carve out time for things that make you happy and relaxed. Treat your hobbies like everything else by scheduling them into your week and honoring those commitments.
Start Your Travel Nurse Adventure With Trustaff
Everyone is different, and you may need to alter the advice in this guide to suit your lifestyle and preferences. Find what works for you and stick to a consistent routine to see improvements in your work and personal life.
Consider Trustaff if you're interested in becoming a traveling night shift nurse. We're one of the industry's largest and most respected travel healthcare staffing companies, with many high-paying travel nurse positions available.
We know how challenging this job can be, so we do everything we can to support you. We offer comprehensive benefits for each position, and you'll work directly with an experienced recruiter to find assignments that fit your skills and interests. You'll also have access to the Ingenovis Health ACT program, which is full of tools and resources for your health and career advancement.
What are you waiting for? Browse our open job listings and apply through our online form to become a travel nurse today.
