Shift work definitely
has its rewards like the extra income, the
lack of interruptions, the sense of freedom you
get working nontraditional hours, and the ability
to be home with the kids during the day. But working
night or rotating shifts also has its drawbacks
and one of the biggest is not getting enough
restful sleep. That can make you feel tired and
grumpy. It can make it hard to get through work.
And worst of all, it can cause you to fall asleep
behind the wheel while driving home.
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The human body is
governed by an internal clock known as the circadian
rhythm. In each 24-hour cycle, it makes you want
to sleep when it's dark and be awake when it's light.
It causes periods of sleepiness between midnight
and 6 a.m. the ÒnaturalÓ time for humans to sleep then
again in the midafternoon.
But as a shift worker,
you have to try to sleep when your body is telling
you to be awake, and be awake during those dips
in your alertness level when your body is telling
you to sleep. And as you get sleepier, you begin
to miss things you would normally respond to, resulting
in careless and even dangerous errors. Additionally,
sleeping during the day can make it difficult to
get the amount of sleep your body needs. Some research
shows shift workers average five hours of sleep
per day, at least one to one-and-a-half hours less
than non-shift workers.
Regularly getting
less than seven or eight hours of sleep in a 24-hour
period really can lead to chronic problem sleepiness
and cause irritability, crankiness and depression.
It also makes it more likely that you might fall
asleep while driving. And the only way to correct
the problem is to get more or better sleep.
The circadian rhythm
cycle (shown below) is something you can't ignore
or reprogram, but relax. Later in this brochure
you'll discover ways to improve your body's ability
to cope with shift work.
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Perhaps one of the
most dangerous consequences associated with shift
work is sleepiness behind the wheel. The late night
and early morning drive times are the most hazardous,
with the majority of crashes occurring between the
hours of midnight and 6 a.m. when the body naturally
experiences sleepiness. This contributes to the high
rate of serious injuries and fatalities for several
reasons:
Crashes involving drivers who fall asleep occur more
often on highways and roadways where speed limits
are higher.
The driver's
eyes are closed so there is no attempt to avoid the
crash.
The driver
is usually alone in the vehicle so there's no one
to alert the driver to danger.
The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more
than 100,000 crashes each year are the result of drowsy
driving. Some studies have proven that roughly one-quarter
of shift workers report having at least one crash
or close call within the last year. In fact, research
shows that drivers are just as impaired when they're
sleepy as when they've consumed alcohol.
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Drinking alcohol when
you're sleepy only serves to increase your drowsiness
and further impair your judgment, perception, and
ability to react to road conditions and other drivers.
It's a hazardous combination. How dangerous? NHTSA
has found that nearly 20 percent of all sleepiness-related,
single-vehicle crashes involve alcohol. Even if you've
had just a small amount to drink and are feeling just
a little sleepy, the effects of one are intensified
by the other.
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The use of certain
medications and drugs can also compound sleepiness.
And the risk increases for people taking higher doses
or more than one sedating medication simultaneously.
Another factor to consider is your driving pattern
longer trips in terms of miles or minutes put
you at a higher risk.
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The single most important
key to eliminating most problems caused by shift work
is to make sleep a number one priority. Set a specific
bedtime for yourself. Get good, uninterrupted sleep
at the same time every day, even on your days off.
And even if you can't sleep more, there are things
you can do to make sure you sleep better.
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Make your room dark the darker, the better. As a shift
worker, you're waking and sleeping against the natural
rhythms of lightness and darkness the most powerful
regulators of our internal clocks. Your body wants
to be active when it's light, and craves rest when
it's dark. Try using special room-darkening shades,
lined drapes or a sleep mask to simulate nighttime.
Sleep without a night light, block the light that
comes from your doorway, and if your alarm clock is
illuminated, cover it up.
Block outside sounds. Sleep can be easily interrupted
by sudden, unexpected sounds the screech of a passing
siren, a plane flying overhead, construction work
or a barking dog, to name a few. Use ear plugs, a
fan, or turn the FM radio or TV to in between stations
so the ÒshhhhÓ blocks out other noises and lulls you
to sleep. (Just be sure to turn off the brightness
on your TV or cover the screen.) You might even want
to consider a Òwhite noiseÓ machine, which plays a
steady stream of lulling sounds such as ocean waves.
Adjust your thermostat before going to bed. A room
that is too hot or too cold can disturb your sleep.
Some research shows that 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit
or 16 to 18 degrees Celsius is ideal.
Keep a regular schedule. Go to bed and get up at the
same time every day. The best way to ensure a good
night's sleep is to stick to a regular schedule, even
on your days off, holidays or when traveling.
Maintain or improve your overall health. Eat well
and establish a regular exercise routine. It can be
as simple as a 20- to 30-minute walk, jog, swim or
bicycle ride three times a week. Exercising too close
to bedtime may actually keep you awake because your
body has not had a chance to unwind. Allow at least
three hours between working out and going to bed.
Avoid caffeine several hours before bedtime. Its stimulating
effects will peak two to four hours later and may
linger for several hours more. The result is diminished
deep sleep and increased awakenings.
Avoid alcohol before going to sleep. It may initially
make you fall asleep faster, but it can make it much
harder to stay asleep. As the immediate effects of
the alcohol wear off, it deprives your body of deep
rest and you end up sleeping in fragments and waking
often.
Know the side effects of medications. Some medications
can increase sleepiness and make it dangerous to drive.
Other medications can cause sleeping difficulties
as a side effect.
Change the time you go to sleep. After driving home
from work, don't go right to bed. Take a few hours
to unwind and relax.
Develop a relaxing sleep ritual. Before going to sleep,
try taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music
or reading until you feel sleepy but don't read anything
exciting or stimulating.
Don't make bedtime the time to solve the day's problems.
Try to clear your mind. Make a list of things you
are concerned about or need to do the next day so
you don't worry about them when you're trying to sleep.
Set house rules. Speak with your family about your
sleep schedule and why your sleep time is so important.
Establish guidelines for everyone in your household
to help maintain a peaceful sleeping environment such
as wearing headphones to listen to music or watch
TV, and avoiding vacuuming, dishwashing and noisy
games.
Keep a sleep schedule. Let family and friends know
your sleep schedule and ask them to call or visit
at times that are convenient for you. Plan ahead for
activities together.
Unplug the phone. Be sure unimportant calls don't
wake you up. Unplug the phone in your bedroom and,
if necessary, get a beeper so your family can reach
you in an emergency.
Hang a Òdo not disturbÓ sign on your door. Make sure
your family understands the conditions under which
they should wake you. Make a deal with them. If they
let you sleep, you will be less grumpy! And make sure
delivery people and solicitors understand your sleeping
rules by hanging a Òdo not disturbÓ sign on your front
door, too.
For more ideas on working
with family and friends, refer to the hang tag at
the end of this brochure.
By following as many
tips as possible, you should start to experience improvements
in the quality of your sleep. It won't happen right
away, but if you stick with it for a week or two,
you'll begin to notice positive changes. Staying alert
on the job will be much easier. Drowsy driving will
no longer be a problem. And you'll be able to enjoy
more quality time with your family and they'll
enjoy you!
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Even getting one hour
less sleep per day than your body needs can impair
your ability to function. And contrary to popular
belief, you usually can't tell when you're about to
fall asleep. What's more, when it comes to staying
awake behind the wheel, many common remedies just
don't work.
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Turning up the volume of your radio.
Singing
loudly.
Chewing
gum or eating food.
Getting
out of the car and running around.
Slapping
yourself.
Sticking
your head out the window.
The key is to learn
to recognize the warning signs of drowsiness and to
take corrective action.
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You can't stop yawning.
You have
trouble keeping your eyes open and focused, especially
at stop lights.
Your mind
wanders or you have disconnected thoughts.
You can't
remember driving the last few miles.
Your driving
becomes sloppy you weave between lanes, tailgate
or miss traffic signals.
You find
yourself hitting the grooves or rumble strips on the
side of the road.
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Avoid driving home from work if you're drowsy. Some
experts recommend drinking two cups of coffee, then
taking a short 15- to 20-minute nap. You'll get some
sleep before the caffeine takes effect, and when it
does, you'll wake up and be alert for your drive home.
Avoid
alcohol or any medications that could make you drowsy.
Carpool
if possible, so that you're driving with someone else
awake in the car or get a ride from a family member.
Take a
taxi or public transportation.
If you
hit a rumble strip, it's a sure sign that you need
to pull off to a safe place, take a nap or get some
coffee.
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Sometimes making changes
in your lifestyle isn't enough. If you continue to
have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking
too early, or if you or your significant other is
a chronic snorer, see your doctor. Nonprescription
sleep aids won't help you get better sleep. But rest
assured, your doctor or a sleep specialist can prescribe
treatment that can make quality sleep more than just
a dream.
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