5 Sleep Must-Haves for Nightshifters
Are you nervous about your sleep hygiene on night shift? Or currently struggling with sleep? This Labor & Delivery nightshift nurse is sharing my favorite products + tips that have helped me get the sleep I need to recover from working from 7P - 7A!
1. Eye Mask
I’ve tried a lot of eye masks and find that some of them can be so uncomfortable, from the fabric they’re made out of to the design of the band that goes around your head, causing you to struggle with falling asleep. This isn’t your average eye mask. It’s contoured so that your eyes aren’t squished when you sleep! And not only are they comfortable, they come in a pack of 2 for only $8! They also wash super well, so toss them in with your darks and you’re good to go.
2. Melatonin
I actually only take melatonin when I work again that night and I know I need to be rested, or when I still feel awake when I get home at 8AM. My favorite right now are the 5mg tablets by Source Naturals. I first started by splitting the tablets in half and taking 2.5mg, and now I feel like 5mg is perfect for me.
3. Blackout Curtains
This is probably the most important thing if you’re sensitive to light. Even if you’re not that sensitive to light, it can be sooo bright when we’re trying to sleep, especially if you have a lot of windows in your room. The best part is, you don’t even need to spend a ton of money on blackout curtains that are super nice. These Target blackout curtains are awesome and won’t break the bank. If you want your room to be extra dark, you can even layer these and have another set of curtains on top!
4. Earplugs
It can be soooo incredibly difficult to sleep when there are people mowing their lawns, blowing their leaves, planes flying over, people dropping off packages and ringing your doorbell, and basically doing all kinds of stuff. And if you’re a light sleeper, it will literally wake you up and keep you from falling back asleep. This is why I need some kind of noise barrier. I don’t use any crazy expensive kind of earplugs, just some basic foam ones! I like that they’re not completely noise blocking because I would hate to miss my alarm. Here are similar earplugs!
5. Blue-Light Glasses
If you guys follow me on Instagram, you know that I love my blue-light blocking glasses. I wear them for work, when I’m watching TV, before I go to bed at night on a normal day schedule, and especially when I get home from work after a night shift so that I can easily fall asleep! I’ve used several different kinds, but my favorite ones are by Klassy Network. I have the Worthy frames in Transparent gold and the Bold glasses in Tortie Gray and they are sooooo cute! If you’re interested in getting a pair for yourself, you can use my discount code CLARA for 20% off. I don’t make commission off of this, just want you guys to save some money!
Some other things that I find helpful to ensure that I get a good sleep after work:
Put your phone on Night mode from 2200-0900. This turns your screen a yellow-ish tint and produces a similar effect as the blue-light blocking glasses.
Put your phone on Do Not Disturb while you sleep so that you don’t wake up from random phone calls and notifications. If someone really needs to reach you, they can call twice and reach you!
Use a weighted blanket. Though I haven’t tried one myself, a lot of my coworkers swear by these!
Keep your room cool. Research says that you’re more likely to stay asleep in cooler temperatures compared to sleeping in a warm room.
Eat a small snack before sleeping. I used to be that person who would pass out as soon as they got home at 8, only to wake up at 12! I learned that I was waking up because I was hungry. When I get home and I’m done with my bedtime routine, I have some combination of protein + carb, such as scrambled eggs and slice of toast, overnight oats, cheese and crackers, leftovers, yogurt and granola, so that I can stay full for the 5-7 hours that I’ll be asleep. This has made a noticeable difference in the amount of sleep I get.
Let your friends + family know that you’re going to be asleep so that they 1. don’t think that you’re dead 2. know not to blow up your phone with unnecessary notifications, even if your phone is on Do Not Disturb.
So there it is! My top 5 sleep must-haves for night-shifters. But of course, everyone is different so you may find that you don’t necessarily need some of these things. Sleep is so essential to your recovery, especially when we are working odd hours and our bodies are confused. Let me know if you found this post helpful! Happy sleeping :)
xo,
Clara