I work in graveyard shift so my sleeping time is usually the opposite of what normal working people do. I stay awake all night and sleep all day. When I get off from work, it’s 5 am so there’s barely morning light and would still be equated with night. But I live 3 rides away from the office so I am always caught up with the rising time of the sun. I always try to get off immediately at 5 am to avoid the light of day as it is hurting to eyes when it happens. Still, at some days I get caught off with the sunrays somehow.
There’s nothing wrong with being caught up with sunlight. I am not a vampire who burns when sunlight touches my skin. But certainly I am a vampire in many ways. My eyes hurt with bright light in the morning after work and my body clock is reset to daytime.
More on the body clock, according to scientific research the body’s signal for sleeping is associated with the brain’s ability to detect light and dark. When it’s night time, the brain detects darkness so it automatically signals hormonal glands to release sleep hormones and bombard the body with it. When daylight comes, the brain can also detect the light of day so it signals the body to wake up. This is the normal sleeping function of the body.
What happens if you are like me who works in graveyard shift? Well, the body clock mechanism changes. At first, you will be fighting the usual feelings of sleepiness and tell you damn it’s so hard to fight it when you are still getting adjusted to it. You might drown yourself with caffeine, or loud music or stronger will power to stay awake at working hours. Ever notice why at the end of every shift, when daylight comes you feel rejuvenated and the urge to doze off is gone? Well, it is the work of the brain that detects light and so lights up the body too.
Now the real problem is not staying awake all night for work, the real problem is sleeping during the day. Daytime sleeping is incomparable to regular night time sleeping. It is so because in a tropical country we live in, Philippines, broad daylight is literally broad and excruciating. The sun is mighty proud and so it shines all day scattering its heat to the earth. So expect a lot of sleeping like-in-the-oven kind of setting. Your room will be nothing more than a little room of hell. Another unpleasant thing about sleeping at daytime is the noise of busy people going through their daily routines. If you live in a highly populated area such as the squatter’s area, then you are very lucky to enjoy eternal nuisance of people buzzing through your walls. Good luck with sleeping soundly and quietly.
If you are suffering from sleeplessness at whatever time you sleep, there is help. I have tried a few modifications to taper my environment and make it conducive for sleeping. Here are few:
1. Drape the windows with dark colored curtains or cloth. Blocking the light from the window will create an illusion of darkness that signals the brain it is dark and it is time for sleeping.
2. Make your bedroom a haven for sleep. This means you have to remove anything that can distract you. Remove TV, computers, ipads, etc.. Anything that can stimulate your brain or entertain you. Make your bedroom intended only for sleeping.
3. Eat a light meal before sleeping. Eat carbohydrates such as crackers and drink milk. These two combo food releases Serotonins in the blood that can cause you to drowse and feel sleepy. Being hungry while sleeping will wake you up at midsleep because your body craves for food.
4. Sleep the same time everyday. Make it a habit to condition your mind to sleep the same time daily so your body will know when to signal the system that it’s shut off time. By conditioning your mind means you have to do the effort of really toning your thoughts. The mind is a very powerful thing.
5. When you are on bed, stop thinking of what to do when you wake up. Don’t think ahead and don’t worry of whatever else in your life. Think of SLEEP. Only that thought and nothing else.
6. If you are still awake 20 minutes after going to bed, get up and read a book, write your thoughts, or do something extremely boring until you tire yourself back to sleep.
7. Take a warm bath. The rise in temperature will relax you and will make you feel like going to bed again.
8. If you have very noisy neighbors, talk to them beforehand and explain your case. I used to suffer from my neighbor’s kids screaming all day. Until one day, I talked to their parents and to the kids as well to play somewhere else because I’m sleeping at day time. Well guess what, it really works! Try it!
9. Turn on the electric fan or better yet your air conditioner. It’s going to be annoying when the heat crawls up to you while sleeping. You’ll be disturbed halfway your sleep.
10. If all else fails and you can’t modify your place, it is high time that you find some quite place to stay. If you have the luxury and freedom, move to another place where you can have the quiet and peace you deserve. Move to somewhere rural part in the city and enjoy the serenity it offers. Of course, you would have to consider renting and other expenses of independent living. But hey! Don’t despair, graveyard shift pays a lot so you might want to consider this option if it brings you more rest! Right?
Despite doing all these above measures to achieve a satisfying shut eye, then it is time to change jobs. Maybe you are not for the graveyard shift schedule. It is not for everyone and certainly you don’t want to keep fighting your natural rhythm if you can’t adjust with it in time. You might want to consider shifting back to a day job.
Well, as for me, I have tried all the above mentioned. Good thing it works for me though. I hope it works for you as well. The body is capable of adapting to many things more than you could ever imagine. More importantly, you should always listen to it and follow its course of nature. If it ain’t working for you no matter how you try to adjust, then don’t sacrifice your health for it. What’s being wealthy if you can’t enjoy your wealth because of your ailing health. But then of course, if you take good care of yourself and well being, you will reap a long lasting happy healthy life.
Read the Original Article Here:
Graveyard Shift: 10 Things to Do to Fall Asleep During the Day
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