Your Night Shift Survival Guide

A nurses perspective

I have been a nurse for a long time now and I still dread the night shift. It has taken me many years to figure out how to cope with them.

So here are my top tips for when you are heading into night shifts. These are from my perspective as a nurse, but I am sure it is applicable to anyone who has to work on rotating shifts.

Healthy snacks and plenty of water = happier nurse for night shift

Those sugar cravings tend to kick in hard at 2 am. You are tired. You are struggling to keep your eyes open and it is so tempting to reach for sugary or fatty foods and energy drinks. Don’t do it! They will ultimately make you feel worse.

Fuel your body with healthy nutritious food and plenty of water.

My top snacks for the night shift:

• Celery, carrots, and dip.
• Nuts
• Dark chocolate
• Fresh fruit

And my personal favourite is about 4am I have a “breakfast”. Some porridge, muesli, a toasted sandwich, or even soup is delicious. Remember to keep it as healthy as possible. It will help fuel your body for longer, avoid weight gain, and also results in better sleep.

Don’t forget to drink water or herbal tea. Staying hydrated will help stave off fatigue and keep you refreshed.

Added bonus the more you drink the more you need to pee…and walking to and from the toilet is another great way to stay awake!

Getting the most from your sleep

The night before you are due to start the night shift, stay up late. Then you can sleep in, and maybe even fit in an afternoon nap before your first night shift.

If, like me, you have children there is no chance of a sleep in. Ensure you line up childcare, a babysitter, or your partner to take the children for a few hours in the afternoon so you can nap. Trust me, this afternoon nap can be the difference between being alert and hitting struggle town by 2 am.

Another great tip is not to go to bed hungry or thirsty. I finish the night shift at 7:30 am, and aim to be in bed by 845am. So I will eat a light snack in the car on the way home such as an apple or some nuts. That way I am not hungry when I finally snuggle down in bed. There is nothing worse than trying to sleep with your stomach growling at you.

Bonus, eating when driving home helps to keep you awake!

To get the most from your sleep during the day, invest in some block-out blinds so your room is dark. Wear some earplugs or play some white noise to block out the rest of the world from living their best life in the sunshine!

If you have children, make sure you have someone who can take your kids off your hands so you can get a good sleep during the day. Especially if you do more than one night shift in a row, this day's sleep is super important.

Be mindful of caffeine intake

I don’t know about you, but I cannot drink caffeine before sleeping at night. The same rules apply to night shifts.

Work out how long before you sleep that you need to avoid caffeine and schedule your caffeinated night shift drinks around that.

The same applies to sugary drinks or stimulating drinks like red bull. I like to drink herbal tea on the night shift after 2 am. This way I am not strung out on caffeine when I get home.

Work it out

You won't feel like it, but going for a walk or exercising once you wake up is a great way to head into the night shift.

Think about it like this, on a normal day you may wake up and head out for a walk or to the gym. There is no reason you cannot do this when you are on the night shift, the timing is just a little different.

It is important to continue looking after yourself with exercise and healthy foods when on the night shift. Night shift is hard enough on your body without causing further stress with bad foods and a sedentary lifestyle.

Indulge

One of my favourite things to do on the day I come off the night shift is to schedule an indulgent activity, like a brunch with friends, a massage, hair appointment, or mani/pedi.

I go home and sleep for a few hours before jumping up, excited for a massage or lunch with friends!

Go home, sleep a few hours and then go reward yourself! Night shift is tough, you deserve to indulge.

Your night shift survival checklist!

• Healthy food
• Plenty of water
• Afternoon nap the day you start
• Block out blinds
• White noise or earplugs
• Avoid too much caffeine
• Work out
• Organise a fun activity the day you come off.

Rachel Maree is a writer, mum and registered nurse. Bringing you the real truth to parenting, nursing and writing (even when it is downright ugly). You can read more articles or hire her to write amazing content for you — Rachel Maree.

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