How to Adjust to Working the Graveyard Shift

Since childhood, we have been indoctrinated to believe that we should work (or go to school) during the day and sleep at night. When you work the graveyard shift, however, you don’t have any choice but to sleep during the day. Changing your internal clock might take a few weeks, but once you do, you won’t notice the difference except for the lack of light when you leave for work. Adjusting to working the graveyard shift just means creating a new routine that works for you, which means that you must be able to force yourself to comply with the new schedule.

Establish Sleeping Hours
One of the mistakes that people frequently making when they try to adjust to working the graveyard shift is they fall asleep at different times every morning. They get home from work, watch some television, make something to eat and fall in bed whenever they start to feel tired. Done this way, your body will always feel as though something is “off”. Instead, establish a “bed time” for yourself. For example, if you work from ten o’clock at night until six o’clock in the morning, decide that you’ll be in bed by nine. Set your alarm to wake up at five or six so that you’re giving yourself a full eight hours of rest.

Create Artificial Darkness
You might be having trouble adjusting to the graveyard shift simply because it’s light outside when you fall asleep. It doesn’t feel natural to go to bed when sunlight is streaming through the blinds on your bedroom window, so create some artificial darkness. You can purchase black-out shades at a local department store or simply hang black sheets over the windows. Turn off the lights outside your bedroom and keep your door closed to discourage any other light from entering your bedroom. If none of these suggestions works, you can also purchase a sleeping mask.

Avoid Caffeine and Cigarettes
If you start drinking a cup of coffee or smoking cigarettes when you get off of work, you’ll probably have trouble going to sleep when you get home. To adjust to working the graveyard shift, limit yourself to decaffeinated coffee and avoid the cigarettes entirely. You should also avoid other stimulants that might keep you awake, such as soda or chocolate.

Eat Dinner
When working the graveyard shift, your breakfast is your dinner, so don’t skip it. When you fall asleep on an empty stomach, you’re likely to wake up with hunger pains halfway through your “night. When you get home from work, fix yourself something to eat and then go to bed. You’ll be able to sleep much faster and you’ll reduce the chances of waking up.

Talk to Other Household Members
If you are the only one in your house who works the graveyard shift, make sure they understand your plight. Explain that you don’t want to inhibit their daily activities, but that you do need to sleep. If possible use a remote bedroom that isn’t connected to the family room or kitchen and request that you not be disturbed. You might also want to remove the telephone extension from your room or turn the ringer off.