Working on a graveyard shift or working from home at night is not good for your health, expert says. Your body clock needs to adjust of the changing time as your body tends to get disoriented – from the time of being awake the whole night when your body is expected to rest and heal to sleeping during broad daylight when your body is suppose to be alive and kicking.
Tips to improve sleep
- Use curtains to block the light or blinds to reduce the light in your bedroom during the day.
- As much as possible try to make your bedroom – soundproof.
- If possible, use earplugs. This will reduce the noise that you hear around the place.
- Make sure the temperature in the bedroom isn’t too warm. Cool environment helps you get to sleep.
- Put a notice on your bedroom door like “DO NOT DISTURB” or “SLEEPING” to let people realize you’re sleeping.
- Avoid smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes impairs your sleep.
- Drinks containing caffeine such as coffee, tea, cocoa and all kinds of tea can keep you awake.
- Alcohol can make you sleepy. And, another effect is that it can wake you up later on and can lessen the quantity, quality and a soothing sleep.
- Avoid eating a heavy meal late in the night as this can also keep you a wake.
- Consider what you eat and drink before you go to sleep.
- You may need time to relax between work and bedtime.
If you want to look great during the day even if you are sleep-deprived, take these tips into consideration:
- Skip or avoid any salty snacks during the night as this can cause swollen or puffy face in the morning. Instead, reach out for healthy snacks like fruit.
- Avoid drinking too much caffeine; instead drink lots of water to keep you hydrated.
- Don’t nip drinks with alcohol in it.
- If you have the time to nap during the night, support your head above your heart with few pillows.
- Take at least 10 minutes to exercise even at your desk. There are exercises that you can do even while sitting. Stretch, stretch, stretch.
- Cut out on fatty foods and high calorie snacks.
- Get rid of those red eyes. Use eye drops or apply hot compress to your eyes.
Lack of sleep can affect health, mood and work safety. An average of two to three hours sleep per 24 hours is what night-shift workers usually gets compared to a day worker. This is not good for our body and health as our body needs an average 8 hours of sleep to feel rested and heal.
