With circadian rhythms being out of kilter it can be easy to live a more sedentary lifestyle. Set your calorie intake: Nurses are at high risk for obesity by reaching for the high-calorie foods during night shift work.Learn more about understanding circadian rhythm. This is compared to the workers who switch back to an "awake during the day, asleep at night" routine when not scheduled to work. Set your circadian rhythm: Studies of nurses and non-nurses throughout the years show that workers who stick to a night-shift pattern of wake and sleep perform better at their job, are less moody, are more alert when awake, and sleep longer. This also refers back to point #1 – set a routine. Set an alarm: By setting an alarm to allow you time to wake up slowly with plenty of time to get to your "day," your brain will allow you to sleep more soundly.Set limits for using any electronics prior to sleeping: A recent article in Psychology Today warns that people who use electronics such as an eReader after lights-out will take longer to fall asleep, suppress melatonin (our circadian hormone), decrease REM and feel groggy throughout the day.Some people prefer a simple fan in the room where they sleep, while others prefer purposeful white-noise machines or apps that are clinically proven to improve overall sleep. This helps keep your mind quiet and stops the brain from focusing on anything but the calming noise. Set some white noise: White noise can be defined as noise that contains many frequencies with equal intensities that allows the brain to focus on a soothing sound.A 2016 study published in Social Science & Medicine proved what we already suspected – adults who have their phone on in the room where they sleep have a hard time falling asleep, experience increased insomnia, and were fatigued after rising. List a neighbor or close friend to be the contact person for the school so you can turn off your phone. Set a support network: All of the important people in your life should know that you are nocturnal, so use them.Cover the windows with cardboard or hang black-out curtains to minimize light entering the room. Set up the room: The room where a night shift nurse sleeps should be away from the hustle and bustle of the house where kids playing or the noise from television cannot penetrate.Setting reminders on your phone or calendar can be a huge help when trying to establish a new routine. Set a routine: Whether you have kids to get off to school or it's just you and the cat, routines tell our bodies what to expect – and you want your body and mind to know that sleep is on the schedule.Here are some tips that night shift nurses can implement to set themselves up for maximum rest and health: No matter the definition, tricking one's circadian rhythm to get enough sleep can be challenging for many nurses. Typically, this shift is defined as starting at least an hour prior to midnight and ending at least an hour after midnight. Most nurses will spend a little time, if not their whole careers, working the night shift.
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