When you're a working nurse on night shift, and come home for shut eye, woe unto the person (or thing!) that wakes you up. Recently, discovering in all those shares and "likes" just how important getting enough sleep is to traveling nurses. As well it should be.
According to a recent report released by the **CDC, sleep deprivation among Americans is a public health problem with serious consequences. 30% of adults reported getting 6 or less hours of sleep daily, when 7 to 8 are recommended. Here are 3 tried and true sleep hygiene tips and hacks, presented in a nurse-friendly light:
- Be consistent and seek bright light: Our circadian rhythms love it when we go to bed at the same time each night, and rise at the same time each morning – not an option for RNs on the night shift. However, nurses can train their bodies' internal clock to adjust. Expose yourself to bright light when you get ready to start a shift. Hack: Dawn simulator alarm clocks can help. Colored sunrise simulation wakes you up gradually with natural light. For a nice energy boost during your shift, take a walk in a well-lit place, and ditch any UV eyewear; forgoing your sunglasses decreases your risk of getting into a car accident if you're driving (not recommended) while exhausted.
- Eat healthy foods within an hour of waking: Research from the Science of Us Sleep Institute (check out this helpful video below) suggest that doing this lifts mood and improves overall cognition. Avoid sugary, simple carbohydrates, and reach for lighter fare, like nuts, whole grains, lean protein and meats, fresh fruit and veggies. Hack into an energy boosting , topped with fresh fruit. The natural sugar will perk you up without the swing in blood sugar.
- Nap-a-latte, but only for 25 minutes. Napping up to 25 minutes helps recharge your batteries, but any longer than that, according to sleep experts, just makes you drowsier than you already are. Hack: Supercharge your nap by preparing a "nap-a-latte"; this is a cup of iced coffee that you drink as fast as you can, before catching those 25 minutes of Zzs. The idea behind this is that the caffeine will just start to kick in when you awake. Speaking of coffee/tea consumption, it's best to keep to a maximum of 3 cups a day, since caffeine lingers in your system for up to 7 hours – not good if you're headed to bed soon.
Here's some good news for the sleep deprived. Once your body has developed a sleep routine, it's best to only sleep 25-30 minutes more than usual. That's because binge sleeping, with the intent to make up for a week of poor sleep, doesn't work.
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