Night shift work is the most challenging component of any 24/7 industry. There are numerous ways of scheduling night shifts, but no one formula appears to work better than any other. Studies have shown that a large majority of workers ---up to 95%--- are unable to adjust, regardless of the divisions in hours or how often they work it.
Strategies to help better manage their fatigue on night shift:
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Napping
Nap when possible during on-call hours
Avoid naps between 8 and 10pm
Nap from 15 to 20 minutes and every 2 or 3 hours
Longer naps prevent sleepiness but may result in "sleep inertia"
To read about sleep inertia, click here.
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Sleep prophylactically before and after night shift
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Using caffeine pharmacologically
If you wish to benefit from its effects, avoid the social use caffeinated beverages
Takes approximately 30 minutes for effects to be felt and they last 3 to 4 hours
Tolerance may be developed
Experts recommend moderate, strategic consumption, while a study in the May 2004 issue of Sleep claimed that frequent, low doses of caffeine (about two ounces of coffee) may be more effective for staying alert than larger, less frequent doses.
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