Staying Alive on the Graveyard Shift

As modern careers change and evolve, more workers are being scheduled for graveyard shifts in all sectors of business. From customer service, to technicians to web gurus, we have to evolve with the times or find ourselves unemployed.

Research has proven that it is not normal, nor healthy, for a human being to deviate from a normal sleeping schedule of eight hours, sometime between 10 pm and 7 am. The best way to survive is to not worry about how this could disrupt your life, but to keep to a similar schedule that normal people have. Here's how to stay healthy, while working on a crazy graveyard shift.

The key is staying nourished and awake but to be able to get a good night's sleep following your shift. Go to sleep at the same time each day, to get your brain used to the new schedule.

Here's a few more tips to help you get through the week.

Don't go to sleep until you get home from your shift. That way, you will still be sleeping into part of the morning. Think about how fun it will be to sleep until noon. Sleeping until noon comes naturally to some people, just don't let the shortened sleep cycle affect you too much.

Put up some curtain liners to darken your room. Tell all your friends and family you are not available during your sleeping schedule. Turn off all telephones. Perhaps they can use headphones on the TV and stereo if they live with you.

Do ten minutes of stretching exercises and yoga right after you wake up. It feels really good to stretch out those muscles, and will motivate you to get out of bed.

Prepare all your snacks and "lunches" in advance, rather than ordering in late-night pizza. Make healthy sandwich choices or perhaps bring some breakfast foods for later in your shift, ie. 5 am. That way you are still getting breakfast, though a bit earlier in the day. Eat only light snacks. There's nothing worse than eating a heavy meal, then feeling sick at 7 am.

Drink water or caffeine-free herbal teas rather than caffeinated drinks. There is caffeine in tea and chocolate too. This can keep you awake after your shift, which is not what you want.

Limit your sugar intake. You don't want to be hyper at the end of your shift and unable to get to sleep.

If you're allowed to listen to music during your shift, choose lively selections to keep you awake.

Don't take naps during your shift. You need to adjust to staying awake during the early morning hours.

By making a few alterations in your normal day, you will be able to avoid "shift work sleep disorder", which can affect your health if you do not get your eight hours of refreshing sleep each day.