|
Coping with Shift Work
There are more that 22 million Americans working evening,
rotating or on-call shifts and facing sleep related problems like difficulty
sleeping when off work and staying alert on the job. Shift work may cause you social and family
problems or even physical illness.
When you work a schedule different from most of the world, it can be
challenging; but following the guidelines below can make shift work easier
for you to live with – and safer too.
 Get up at the same time every day (even on your days off)
Establish a relaxing pre-sleep ritual – such as a warm bath, light
bedtime snack or 10 minutes of reading
Exercise regularly but confine vigorous exercise to at least 6 hours
before bedtime
Keep a regular schedule.
Regular times for meals, medications, chores, etc.
Avoid ingestion of caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime. Don’t drink alcohol, especially when
sleepy.
Avoid smoking close to bedtime
If you find napping helpful on a regular basis, try to nap a the same
time everyday
Avoid sleeping pills unless prescribed by your doctor
Shift workers should eat meals that are high in protein and
carbohydrates
Sleep & Depression
If you have difficulty sleeping, or find that you sleep
too much in the daytime, consider whether or not you are showing any of the
following depression symptoms:
Down or low moods, feeling sad most of the day, nearly every day
Loss of interest or inability to experience pleasure in things that
generally had been pleasurable
Sharp changes in weight, either gain or loss
Loss of energy
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Thoughts that life isn’t worth living, suicidal thoughts
If you experience a significant number of these symptoms,
you should speak to your physician about it.
If you are diagnosed with depression, treatment of the depression is
the first step toward solving your sleep problems, and to helping achieve a
greater feeling or well-being.
Drowsy Driving
Drowsy driving is a serious problem. A 2002 poll by
the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that about one-half of America’s
adult drivers – some 100 million people – said they have driven a vehicle
while feeling drowsy. About 17 percent, or 32 million people, admit they
actually fell asleep at the wheel.
Sleep deprivation increases the risk of a
sleep-related crash. The fewer hours a person sleeps, the greater the risk.
Untreated sleep disorders and driving overnight also contribute to drowsy
driving.
So, who is at risk?
NSF’s poll found those most at risk for
sleep-related crashes are young people between the ages of 18-29, men, adults
with children, and shift workers. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety found that people who sleep six to seven hours a night are twice as
likely to be involved in a sleep-related crash as those who sleep eight or
more hours. Those who drive after sleeping five hours or less are four or
five times as likely to have such a crash.
According to NSF, drowsy driving crashes are most
likely to occur during periods when the body’s natural tendency is to be
asleep, particularly between Midnight and 6:00 a.m. Another peak time is 1:00
p.m. to 4:00 p.m., when our internal body clocks or circadian rhythms have a
tendency to take an afternoon dip, resulting in a period of sleepiness.
There are many signs that drowsiness is setting in
when you’re behind the wheel. It is
important to pay attention to these signals:
§
Difficulty focusing,
frequent blinking or heavy eyelids
§
Trouble keeping your
head up
§
Yawning repeatedly
§
Trouble remembering
the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
§
Drifting from your
lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
We offer these tips to prevent drowsy driving:
§
Plan ahead and get
plenty of sleep before getting on the road.
§
A caffeinated beverage
such as coffee or an energy drink can promote short-term alertness, but it
takes about 30 minutes for the caffeine to enter the bloodstream.
§
Take a 15-20 minute
nap while you’re waiting for the caffeine to kick in.
§
Don’t try “tricks” to
stay awake, like blasting a radio or opening a window – they don’t work.
|