Shift Work
Added Monday, March 31st, 2008 at 4:59 am | View Comments
Here at bedstar we like to find out about anything and everything that can affect your sleep, and then we suggest ways to help. So after you’ve looked through our fantastic selection of online beds and seen our great discounted mattresses take a look at our knowledgebase to find the answers to all your sleep-related questions.
Shift work is a fact of life for many people and is increasingly common as our 24 hour society evolves. But people who work outside the standard office hours of 9-5 are particularly prone to sleep problems since their work time often overlaps with their natural sleep time.
The standard shifts are 7am – 3pm, 3pm - 11pm and the night shift 11pm – 7am which encompasses the usual sleep time for individuals. Around 1 in 5 people who work shifts report falling asleep during work. Most shift workers also experience a reduced amount of sleep and poorer quality sleep in comparison to those not working shifts.
When you are tired your ability to concentrate is decreased and this can lead to accidents at work and whilst travelling there and back. It is especially dangerous if the work involves operating machinery where injuries can happen if concentration lapses. Being constantly tired is detrimental to all aspects of a person’s life including their health and social time, so it’s not just at work that the negative effects show up.
Your body has a 24 hour circadian rhythm which tells you when to sleep and wake up, usually according to the day and night time. Deliberately staying awake all night and then trying to sleep during daylight hours is a difficult adjustment for your body and it can take a long time to adapt. Whether you work the same shift or mix different ones it’s likely that during days off you will go back to ‘normal’ waking and sleeping times to fit in with friends and family. This makes it even harder to get used to the shift sleeping pattern.
There are a few simple ways that people can improve their sleep around whichever shifts they are working, but the most important is to prioritise sleep. It is vital for people’s health and safety that they get enough sleep to function properly so if you find yourself dropping off at work try to find a couple more hours each day to rest.
Having people at home be considerate of your sleep can be a big help too. Ask them to avoid vacuuming, listening to loud music or coming in and out of your bedroom whilst you are trying to sleep. If you are alone then turn the phone ringer off so calls from day time telemarketers don’t wake you, and get some blackout curtains in the bedroom to simulate night time.
Here at bedstar we help you take the first step towards great sleep – a comfortable bed. Our online bed catalogue has the cheapest beds and discounted mattresses around so you can pick the one which suits your routine.
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