Sleep and habits
Shift work sleep
Shift work sleep is hard because your schedule asks your body to be awake when it expects to sleep. What tends to help is a few steady habits: a protected sleep window you treat like a shift, a dark and cool room, a wind-down before you leave work and a plan for days off. These are practical organizers, not medical advice, and have not had an outside expert review yet. If you feel unsafe driving home after a shift, talk to a doctor.
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The Night-Shift Sleep Window CardFree. Write down your rota, pick a sleep window, set up a dark quiet room and plan your days off.Open it, no costRead first
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The Night-Shift Sleep Cheat Sheet: Wind-Down, Wake-Up, Weekend Plan
A checklist set for night workers: three one-page sheets (before shift, after shift, days off), a room checklist, a household door card and a drowsy-driving safety page.
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Common questions
How much sleep do I need on night shifts?
Most adults do best with about seven hours in total, though people differ. Some split it into a main sleep and a nap. Pick what you can repeat. This is general information, not medical advice.
Should I keep the same schedule on days off?
Many shift workers keep part of the pattern, for example the same anchor block of sleep, so the body clock is not whipsawed. The sleep window card helps you choose one.
Does caffeine or a nap help?
A short nap and caffeine early in the shift help some people, but caffeine late in the shift can cut into your daytime sleep. Test small changes and write down what happens.
When should I see a doctor?
If you fall asleep at the wheel, nod off on duty, or feel exhausted for weeks despite enough time in bed, talk to a doctor. Shift work disorder and sleep apnea can look alike, and a doctor can tell them apart. This is general information, not medical advice.