{"id":11370,"date":"2020-05-30T03:06:28","date_gmt":"2020-05-30T07:06:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theothershift.com\/?p=11370"},"modified":"2023-06-25T17:21:57","modified_gmt":"2023-06-25T07:21:57","slug":"shift-work-tired-all-the-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theothershift.com\/shift-work-tired-all-the-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Shift Work Has Me Tired All the Time: How to Boost Your Energy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Being a shift worker typically leaves most with a complicated feeling. Like something is missing in your world. That thing is rest! Especially for those who work the night shift, the feeling of being well-rested is elusive and mysterious. However, working shift work does not have to be the end of your beauty sleep days, there are several things that you can do to get those really deep sleep cycles back for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shift work has me tired all the time \u2013 How to boost your energy: Taking control of your resting situation when you are working shift work is the key to getting your energy back. There are multiple methods for getting your energy back including responsible caffeine intake, regulating your schedule and blocking out the sun in your sleeping area. A combination of adjustments is likely your best bet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are feeling a little groggy from your wacky work schedule, join us as we discuss all of the ways that you can take control of your energy! Each solution is complicated and your situation is unique, so you will want to keep your circumstances and resources in mind as you read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Shift Work Steals Energy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The reality is that people who are working shifts<\/a> are all working jobs that are wildly different from each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospital employees, police officers, factory workers, are just a few of the crucial fields that generally operate on a shift-based schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one thing that shift work has in common across the many fields that employ this scheduling technique is that many employees complain of decreased energy from the taxing demands of shift work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to better understand how to tackle the issue of decreased energy due to shift work, we should look at the cause of the decreased energy. While each of these may not apply to every shift working job, there are many that could be contributing to your particular situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long Working Hours<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shift work, while usually landing around 40 hours per week in theory, requires employees to work longer hours than most jobs. While employees who are working shifts may technically average 40 hours a week, they tend to work a 12-hour day rather than an 8-hour day that a \u201cregular\u201d schedule would require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12 hours is a very long time to have to concentrate on your job. In fact, considering that most of us get between 6-8 hours of sleep, a 12-hour shift would only leave you with around 4 hours of \u201cfree\u201d time or to \u201cwind down\u201d. This in and of itself is physically and mentally draining and can cause you to feel run down and like you have little to no energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want some tips on how to manage a 12-hour shift schedule, check out this post.\"Opens<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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Enhanced Physical\/Mental Activity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This likely does not apply to every shift worker. However, in many cases, such as in the field of healthcare, your body and mind are challenged far more during working hours than they are during non-working hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have ever noticed that your body aches a little bit when you get off work, or if you notice that you have a headache at the end of a shift, then this is a good indicator your job is demanding an awful lot physically and mentally. This can be a cause of stress which can further reduce your energy in your daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repetitive\/Redundant Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, shift work can feel redundant and a bit mundane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in many of the more prominent fields that use shift work, the work can sometimes be a bit boring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the brain is left to wander as you complete repetitive or mundane tasks, then you might notice that you feel a little more sleepy during these times. Now not every job allows this, but here is a great article\"Opens<\/a> from us that details how to stay busy when working night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Circadian Rhythm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This one is especially true for those who work the night shift. Your Circadian Rhythm is a fancy way to refer to your internal clock that exists even when you do not know it is there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This internal clock knows when it should release chemicals that make you want to sleep and it also knows when it should give you the energy to work or live your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Circadian Rhythm is somewhat flexible, it takes a little time for your body to adjust when your rhythm is even slightly out of whack. This is why it is hard to adjust when you travel and switch time zones, your body will eventually adjust, but it takes a bit of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue with shift work is that there are days when you work and days when you are off of work. Working in shifts, especially night shift, can be incredibly complicated for your body to catch a rhythm. If you are constantly switching between night and daytime sleeping, then your body will have a tough time keeping up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, your body takes cues from the light that it detects outside. This is why experts often discourage sleeping in a room with a television light on. The light disrupts the sleep cycle, even if you are unaware that this is happening. Taking a smart device to bed has impacted this even more so. So, sleeping during the daytime is difficult for your body to understand and you must train it to full up your energy stores.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Irregular Schedules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In most shift work situations, your schedule is not consistent. Some people work alternating day and night shifts, and this may be the worst irregular schedule of them all for the major confusion that will happen with your body\u2019s internal clock. However, even those who are on a consistent day or night schedule still experience some irregularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day shift workers are not really affected by an irregular schedule unless they make a habit of not taking their sleep seriously. However, night shift workers tend to work several days in a row for one week and then fewer days the next week. This schedule creates a difficulty in working and sleeping to maintain a social life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n