Glenview, IL — The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) has released a new resource designed to help prevent shift work sleep disorder among those who work nontraditional hours. According to ACCP, night shift workers typically get one to four fewer hours of sleep per day compared to day shift workers and struggle to adjust to a “normal” sleep schedule on their days off.
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Shift work sleep disorder, which can result from insufficient sleep, insomnia, and poor sleep quality, affects between 10% and 40% of individuals working nontraditional hours, as noted by the Cleveland Clinic.
To mitigate the risk of this disorder, ACCP offers several recommendations:
- Take a 30-minute nap and consume caffeine before starting a shift.
- If possible, schedule naps to coincide with heightened sleepiness, particularly between 2 and 5 p.m. before a 7 p.m. shift.
- Use low doses of caffeine during the first half of the shift, but avoid stimulants later.
- Wear ultraviolet-blocking goggles during the ride home after a shift.
- Ensure a dark environment for sleep after a shift, either by using an eye mask or by darkening the room, and minimize noise using earplugs or by silencing phones and other alarms.
- Avoid going to bed hungry.
- Never drive while drowsy.