Shift work: 

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, CCOHS, reports that 25% of the North American workforce works shiftwork, including rotational shiftwork. These rotating shifts and working straight nights can make it challenging for workers to get a “good day’s sleep.” 

Why? The circadian rhythm is disrupted. Many of our body functions, such as sleeping, are regulated by the 24-hour cycle of the circadian rhythm that is coordinated to allow for high activity during the day and low activity at night. 

Normally, the body uses cues such as clock time, social activities, the light/dark cycle, and mealtimes to keep the rhythms on track. When a person is working at night, the rhythms get out of sync and can lead to feelings of fatigue and disorientation. "Jet lag" is a term often used to describe these feelings. 

Disruption of both the quality and quantity of the normal sleep is inevitable in shiftwork, particularly where night work is involved. The daytime sleep is seldom as deep or as refreshing as sleep at night. The problem is greater if there is not a quiet, dark, comfortable place to sleep.

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CCOHS provides the following recommendations: 

  • Sleep on a set schedule to help establish a routine and to make sleep during the day easier. Some people may prefer to get a full period of rest just before the next work shift (as it is with "normal day" work). Try different patterns of work and sleep to see which is best for you. 
  • Make sure that family and friends are aware of and considerate of the shift worker's sleep hours and needs.  
  • Ensure you have a comfortable, cool, dark, quiet place to sleep during the day. Air conditioning where possible, turning off the phone ringer, and having good “blackout” blinds on windows are recommended. 
  • Sound machines or other “white noise” devices, such as a fan, can mask the sounds of the day and the traffic noises that keep shift workers awake. 
  • Make time for quiet relaxation before bed to help get better sleep. Learn how to relax using muscle relaxation, breathing techniques and so on. Use mental imagery to block out unpleasant thoughts. If you still do not fall asleep after an hour, read a book, or listen to quiet music on the radio for a while. If sleep still does not come, reschedule sleeping hours for later in the day.  
  • Limit your commitments later in the day to allow for napping.