The Greatest Enemy of Our Profession: Sleep Problems

[CodeBlueHero]

Hello, I'm Atilla. I recently joined your community, and I live in Turkey. I'm 25 years old. Seeing more experienced colleagues here makes me happy, and I'm sure I will learn a lot from your experiences.

However, for now, my main focus is on insomnia. I have been working in this profession for seven years, and for the past two years, I have been struggling with sleep problems. I mostly work night shifts, which last 16 hours. I have two night shifts (16 hours each) and one day shift (8 hours) per week. The rest of the days, I am usually off.

How do you maintain a healthy sleep schedule ? Do you have any routines that help you with this ?

I appreciate your valuable insights in advance😊

[DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hello and wonderful to have more international views (I'm a UK trained nurse working in France).

Wow that's quite some shift pattern you have and it wouldn't be legal in France. We can't work more than a 12 hour shift. Most people are either day nurses or night nurses with no mixing. Standard rota 3 12 hour shifts a week. 

I do nights 19h - 7h. The key for me is to not do too much overtime so that I'm always off more than I'm on - that way I never invert my cycle. I use melatonin and herbal preparations (chamomile tea) but I avoid any "real" sleeping tablets like anxiolytics or hypnotics. A good brandy at bed time helps sometimes. Dark room with thick curtains, no screen light (computer, TV) and no mirrors in the bedroom to reflect any light. Read before bed - a book, no mobile phone!

I'm lucky in that with these measues I sleep well and tend not to suffer insomnia.  On my days off I listen to my body. If I'm wide awake at 6 or 7 a.m. I go with it and get up. Alternatively if my body can sleep 10 hours straight I go with it and lie in.  

Night work is not natural but 16 years in I think I've managed it well.