koi - Surviving Night Shift

Hey friends, I’m Nicole,

It never fails, after working five years on night shift at a busy hospital; I always get the same question especially from new-grad nurses: “How do you survive on night shift?” After chuckling a little, I always reassure them that it will get better with experience and a few tips. The truth is night shift is hard, really hard. Hopefully with these three tips, night shift will be a little bit easier to handle.

1. Get your rest!

It seems simple to say, but I find that a lot of people, who find themselves drowsy on night shift, just don’t get enough sleep. My rule of thumb is to always try and get 6-8 hours of sleep before your shift. Now, I know this is easier said than done, but trust me, when you are rested you feel better and perform better.

2. The darker the better!

The last thing that you want to happen after working all night long is to be up all day, and the sun will definitely cramp your style. Make sure your room is DARK! Having a dark room, allows your body to release the natural melatonin aiding in restful sleep. One way to achieve this is with blackout curtains. This will definitely solve your problem and can be found at various retailers but can get a little pricey. My cheap alternative is a sleep eye mask.  You can find these anywhere for less than 10 bucks! Trust me you won’t regret it.

3. Recharge yourself!

Being in a profession where it is your duty to care for others, at times can be difficult to make time for you. But, this is CRUICIAL! Whatever you do to relax and unwind, do it! Your nights off are yours and treat yourself.  I love to get a good facial or pedicure, giving back to myself always makes me feel rejuvenated. And you don’t always have to spend money to do this either. Curling up with a good book or with loved ones definitely does the trick.

Night shift can be a difficult shift to work, but with these easy tips, it will be a breeze!