Shift Work, Sleep Deprivation, and Health

An introductory video tutorial on shift work, sleep deprivation, and human health, made by the 2019 BioClock Studio.

[AngieF]

I work 12 hour overnight shifts 4 days a week, M-F, as a pediatric private duty RN.
I fast during the 12 hours, only drink water. I try to minimize light exposure in the morning with sunglasses and use a light box while eating dinner before work.
I have a low carb protein shake when I return home, and use an elliptical or do some form of not too vigorous exercise because it often stimulates me.
But I only sleep 4-5 hours, fall asleep quickly with melatonin, but wake briefly about every 2 hours.
I try to exercise lightly again before work, but I often sleep until I need to eat, dress and leave if I am feeling tired.
I wake up early on weekends and am basically awake "normal" hours and have difficulty transitioning back Mondays, because I wake early then and have to take a long nap to avoid being awake nearly 24 hours.
Although I know I am not functioning at full capacity with things I want to enjoy and accomplish away from work, I don't have any known health issue except high blood pressure and mitral valve prolapse with dysautonomia, but that was preexisting.
I have low stress tolerance, and a PTSD like fight or flight physical response to stress that I have taken beta blockers for since I was in my 20's.
Which is why I prefer the low stress of working at night as a nurse one on one in a medically fragile child's home.
I keep the room dark, with a green portable nightlight, so he can sleep, but am using a tablet and phone.
My labs are all normal and no elevated blood sugar.
Perhaps the low carb diet I eat during work week, which makes me less likely to get drowsy and use caffeine, and the intermittent fasting is preventing the weight gain, sugar or unhealthy food cravings and diabetes?
I do know it isn't healthy to continue this, I do not have the energy to accomplish things I want to, like create a garden.
I am more introverted and just prefer not having coworkers or having to expend energy chatting and having social interaction while at work because that exhausts me more than overnight shift!

[barbie]

I don't eat overnight, I work 11p-7a....but I do get chest pains, irritable, and I feel depressed. I have to go straight to nursing school after work...from 8a-3:30 pm. I just started the job two weeks ago...and I'm starting to regret it. But I have a family to support. We were flat broke from me only going to school, studying, and working on the weekend dayshift, I had to take the fulltime job. I cant wait to graduate so that I can just work a normal shift.

[paulclay]

I have worked a rotating shift pattern for 33 years. My health is excellent, no meds, correct BMI, low blood pressure etc. I have always privatised my health, eating a balanced diet of whole foods and exercising around 5 days a week. I often only sleep for about 5-6 hours during the day, waking up a couple of times. I try and balance this with naps on my break overnight as well as getting 8 hours a night when off shift. We arranged a training session with a specialist company recently for our shift working teams and it was really useful. My main takeaways were 1) Eat protein overnight and a light carb snack before you go to bed 2) When napping either do 20 mins or 90 mins to work with your sleep cycles, this prevents you from waking up and going back to work feeling groggy. 3)Caffeine is useful overnight but avoid in the hours before you are due to go to sleep, so drink in the earlier part of your shifts. I do think you can thrive on shifts, but there are many things that can lead you down the wrong path, including takeaways with your colleagues and not prioritising you sleep and health to counterbalance the dresses shiftwork places on you body.

[boyman]

This has really made me realize things. Thank you.

[janbonne]

I really hope you provide more suggestions to preventing/mitigating the dangers of shift work.

[ryanfrizzell]

Great. Now I know more about scheduling and thus I can work more efficiently, effectively, and maximize my income.

[movementcontact]

I have a 3-3-3-3 pattern (days-rest-nights-rest) and it's just absolute bs... It makes my "off" days into switching/adaptation days and then I'm still not ready to go do 12h shifts like nothing happened...
Thinking about quitting soon 🙄

[mauselioe]

I’m on midnights and I usually get 4days of good sleep but 1 day of not enough sleep and it makes me have a headache while at work and makes me feel terrible. Idk what to do 🤦‍♂️

[benconnolly]

I had to call in sick today i was down for a 0330 till 1530pm and literally no sleep at all i just cant switch off😢

[DiikshaMishra]

i have a question?
how long does it take to develop shift work sleep disorder?

[rawaddarbuka]

I work as a drummer from 11pm til 4 am i sleep from 5 am till 12 noon i take magniseum and multivitamins i feel good no problem the only problem i got is when working out at gym i cant recover quickly it makes me feel fatigue the next day is there any solution for this what is the best time to go to gym for nightshift workers?

[scottschoppert]

I only work early morning shift one or two day a week that is all I can handle

[MelModica]

The only good thing about working nights is I work alone but constantly feel sleep deprived!

[jamesmck]

I work Nightshift and dayshift a find easier to sleep for Nightshift but can’t sleep wen it comes around switching back to day shift.

Even if I do a lot a excercise I still struggle to sleep

[kingmuffasa]

The only light i get is driving home for 15 minutes 😂🤦‍♂️

[pseitrends]

This pandemic really fucked up my sleep. We no have 12 hrs of work and you could barely sleep at work.