She has fifteen years of experience as a Registered Nurse in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Joanne Potter BSN, RN is a writer that specializes in health and wellness. The important things to remember here are planning and organization to help your week to go smoothly. This may not always be possible, but by coming up with a plan it will at least cut down on the number of times these things cut into your sleeping hours. When possible, schedule things for your days off, like repair people, your own personal appointments, etcĬoming up with an organized schedule and plan helps to keep things from having to be scheduled during your stretch of shifts. The following sleep tips were helpful for me:ĭarkening room with blackout shades or getting a sleep mask Therefore, it’s imperative that you protect your sleep by setting boundaries. People that don’t work night shift don’t understand the challenges it brings. The tips I mentioned above were things I implemented that ultimately enabled me to get more sleep. By doing this, it’ll help your workweek to go smoothly. Find quick and easy meals that you can easily put together on a day off. When the weather is nice, take advantage of grilling-enjoy the sunshine while meal prepping. Slow cooker or instant pot recipes are perfect for this. Prepare meals that don’t take a lot of time or energy. This may seem daunting, having to cook and meal prep on a day off, but it’s worth it. I would have three lunches divided up, ready to go. I not only planned my dinners before each shift, but I planned all my lunches for the week. Therefore, I made sure I had meals that were ready to go, so all I had to do was heat it up in the oven, get everyone fed, and head off to work. I knew during my three-day stretch of shifts that I didn’t want to cook. I would spend some time on one of my days off making a menu and prepping meals. Meal planning was crucial for me as a night shifter. This way, I didn’t have to flip my sleep schedule back and forth multiple times during the week. Keeping my shifts together also helped me to get longer, more quality sleep. This left four days off to schedule things while not having to worry about my sleep and work schedule. Having my shifts in a row meant I was able to stay on my night schedule for those three days that I worked. However, I found I felt more rested if I didn’t have my shifts split up. Yes, it’s exhausting having to work three shifts in a row. While this isn’t always possible, I much preferred to work my shifts in a row. How do you organize a schedule that’s not a traditional one? Here, we’ll take a look at the tips that have worked for me over the years. Even with its challenges, I preferred night shift and worked nights for over fifteen years.ĭuring my years working nights, I learned strategies that helped me balance work and life while still getting enough sleep. If you are, or have ever been, a night shift nurse, you know how challenging it can be at times. While many people are getting ready to settle in to watch a TV show or have dinner with the family, night shift nurses are just starting their shift.
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