Top 3 Tips How To Manage Shift Work Effectively

Are you tired of feeling like a sleep-deprived warrior, battling the challenges of irregular schedules caused by shift work? Well, you are not alone. Nowadays we live in a world that never sleeps, which significantly increases the need for shift workers. Unfortunately, the impact of shift work on your sleep, health and overall well-being can be severe. If you’ve been struggling with the challenges of shift work, don’t worry, you have come to the right place.

On this page, we will cover the best tips and recommendations on how to minimize the negative health effects of shift work, improve work productivity and increase overall quality of life. Let’s embark on this journey together and discover how to manage shift work effectively while minimizing the negative health consequences.

A man sitting visibly tired on his work desk

What is Shift Work?

Shift work refers to a work system where different groups of workers are active at different times of the day and night. People employed in shift work usually follow a work schedule that begins or ends outside of the standard daytime working hours of 7 am to 6 pm. Shift work can take place at all times such as in the evening, early morning or in the middle of the night.

Often, shift workers rotate around the clock. This means that one week they might work from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. while the next week they work from midnight to 8 a.m. In some extreme cases, people are required to rotate shifts in just a matter of days. The short and long term health consequences can be devastating.

Shift work is prevalent in many common occupations. These include catering personnel, medical staff, airline personnel, emergency first responders, personal care professionals, sales and retail staff, warehouse workers and many more.

What are the Benefits of Shift Work?

The benefits of employees who work a non-traditional schedule include receiving a higher wage as well as having an easier time to commute. Additionally, shift work can be more suited for night owls or morning people. However, this is only the case if you are able to consistently work during your specific time of peak alertness related to your personal sleep chronotype. Identifying and understanding your personal sleep chronotype is important to maximize your wake time productivity and improve your sleep quality at night. If you want to learn more about the different sleep chronotypes and their importance, visit the page focused on Sleep Chronotypes.

What are the Disadvantages of Shift Work?

The disadvantages of shift work often outweigh the benefits. Shift work significantly disrupts the sleep patterns of employees and can cause insomnia. Similarly to jet lag, there are numerous negative consequences on health and mental wellbeing for employees who work in irregular shifts. They often suffer from severe sleepiness and grogginess while working, which increases the likelihood of work errors, accidents and injuries. Furthermore, the quality of life of shift workers is often considerably lower. This is because of a disrupted social life, hormonal imbalances, anxiety, depression, fatigue, low energy levels and a decreased libido.

The long term consequences of being sleep deprived as a result of working irregular shifts can be devastating. It can cause chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. More information can be found on the page focused on the Impact of Inadequate Sleep on Individuals.

A female nurse sitting visibly exhausted

Top 3 Recommendations For Shift Workers 

Shift work is becoming increasingly common in the modern world. It is estimated that around 15 million people in the U.S. work irregular schedules. The negative consequences of shift work on physical and mental health are significant. Unfortunately, in many cases shift work is a necessity and unavoidable. Luckily, there are a couple things you can do to minimize the disadvantages of shift work. The following tips will allow you be more productive while shift working and will improve your overall quality of life.

1. Maintain a Specific Shift For Minimum 2 Weeks at a Time

If you are a shift worker, it is recommended to maintain the same shift for a period of minimum two weeks. Switching your shifts every couple of days is very unhealthy and should be avoided at all cost! This is because this will significantly disrupt the cortisol hormonal system and dopamine system in your body. These hormonal systems are key aspects of your circadian rhythm. It’s the equivalent of being permanently jet lagged. Therefore, it is recommended to negotiate with your employer to stay on the same shift for at least two weeks at a time. This will offset most of the negative effects of shift work.

Furthermore, it would be a good idea to notify your close family and friends of the current shift you are working. As a result, they won’t disturb you when you are asleep. Furthermore, it would be wise to turn off your phone or use airplane mode so your precious sleep remains uninterrupted. 

2. Get Sufficient Light Exposure While Working and Avoid Light Exposure While Off Work

Light exposure is an effective tool to manage and shift your sleep and wake cycles. You should try to get as much light exposure while working nights to “trick” your brain into an alert state. When you are off work, it is recommended to avoid light exposure at all cost. For example, it would be a good idea to wear sunglasses after your night shift. Additionally, it is recommended to use blackout blinds, a sleep mask and earplugs to block out daytime sunlight and noise in your bedroom while trying to sleep.

Furthermore, it is highly recommended to switch off all digital devices in your bedroom. Additionally, it would be wise to avoid watching television before going to bed. This is because digital devices emit blue light which significantly disturbs your sleep pattern making it harder to fall asleep. This is described in detail on the page focused on The External Causes of Insomnia.

If you do expose your eyes to electronic devices before going to bed, it is highly recommended to wear blue light blocking glasses. These specialized glasses will protect your eyes from the harmful effects of electronic devices and will help to prevent insomnia caused by blue light exposure. Check out our full guide on the 7 Best Blue Light Blocking Glasses to Prevent Insomnia and Sleep Better At Night.

A woman outside enjoying the sunlight

3. Determine and Manage Your Body’s Temperature Minimum Effectively Through Light Exposure

If you are a shift worker, it is crucial to know when your temperature minimum occurs. This is because you want to get light exposure when your temperature is increasing. Furthermore, you want to avoid light exposure when your temperature is decreasing. More information on what your temperature minimum is, and how to manage it, can be found on the page focused on How To Prevent and Reduce Jet Lag By Adjusting Your Temperature Minimum.

If you are unsure or you have difficulties determining the timing of your temperature minimum there are tools available that can help. There are specific devices available on the commercial market which allow you to monitor your core body temperature. More information on related temperature monitoring and tracking devices can be found on the Sleep Tech page.

Top Recommendations For Employers of Shift Workers

Many companies nowadays employ shift workers to meet the increasing demands and expectations of modern society. Even though shift work can help your company to be more competitive, it can also backfire. Not only does shift work significantly affects the health of your employees. It also reduces their daily functioning, concentration, emotional state, mental wellbeing and overall work productivity. Furthermore, shift workers are more likely to become ill or suffer from a burnout. Additionally, when employees work in shifts, they are more likely to be the victim of a work accident or injury. All these factors combined lead to a significant loss of work time productivity, costing employers billions of dollars a year.

Best tips on how employers can increase the productivity, safety and well-being of shift workers

  • Don’t change shifts too quickly. Allow employees to maintain the same shift for minimum two weeks at a time.
  • Allow employees at least 48 hours of time off between different shifts.
  • Give employees more time to get used to a new schedule by rotating shifts clockwise (rotate from day shift, to afternoon shift, to night shift).
  • Allow employees regular weekends off so they can spend time with friends and family on a normal schedule.
  • Make sure work schedules are predictable and fixed in advance so workers can plan ahead.
  • Allow for dynamic and customized work schedules so that heavy physical labor or intense mental work can be done in shorter shifts.
  • Make sure the working environment is brightly lit to help employees stay awake.
  • Play upbeat music in the working environment to keep employees alert.
  • Allow employees to take regular breaks.
  • Make shift work voluntary and provide adequate financial incentives. Take into account that some people are more capable to adapt to shift work compared to others.