---
title: "Staying Sharp on Shift Work: Small Doses Beat Big Ones"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/1d205524-669d-4510-b64c-76316fee2d18
source_url: "https://www.sleepfoundation.org/shift-work-disorder/shift-work-you/tips-help-manage-your-shift-work-schedule"
stack: https://stacklist.com/c/wellness/stack/f2eedf5e-26d1-4fb4-9246-f3b127aed0e5
summary: "Shift work requires strategic approaches to maintain alertness and sleep quality, including consistent sleep schedules, optimized bedroom environments, and moderate use of caffeine and naps. The article provides practical tips for employees working non-daytime shifts to manage shift work disorder and improve occupational performance."
tags: "shift-work, sleep-schedule, night-shift, alertness, sleep-health, caffeine, circadian-rhythm"
key_entities: "Sleep Foundation (organization), Bureau of Labor Statistics (organization), American Academy of Sleep Medicine (organization), National Center for Biotechnology Information (organization), shift-work-disorder (concept), circadian-rhythm (concept), COVID-19-pandemic (event), Helix-Midnight-Luxe (technology)"
classification: "tutorial"
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acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 3393
visibility: public
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status: "final"
---

# Staying Sharp on Shift Work: Small Doses Beat Big Ones

Skip to content ADVERTISEMENT Ads on our site helps support our mission to improve sleep health. Sleep Foundation doesn't endorse third-party products or services. Policy How To Set a Night Work Sleep Schedule Tips for Staying Awake During Shift Work Tips for Employees With Rotating Shifts Key Takeaways Keeping a consistent sleep schedule, even on days off, can help your body adjust to working nights or rotating shifts. A cool, dark, and quiet bedroom can make it easier to sleep during daylight hours. Strategic light exposure, short naps, and moderate caffeine use can help improve alertness while working. Work schedules that fall anywhere outside the hours of 7 am to 6 pm are considered shift work. These schedules may consist of fixed hours, rotating or split shifts, or irregular work times. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 16% of full-time salary and wage workers Trusted Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making. View Source in the U.S. worked non-daytime shifts in 2017 and 2018. Recently, many employees have also been forced to take on shift work in recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shift work can be demanding Trusted Source American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education, and research. View Source when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, especially for those who work night, early morning, or rotating shifts. Over time these employees may develop shift work disorder , a condition characterized by insomnia symptoms when they attempt to sleep and excessive tiredness while they are at work. Shift work disorder not only causes cognitive impairments and physical complications but also affects occupational performance and makes workers more prone to errors and accidents. Looking to improve your sleep? Try upgrading your mattress. Our 2026 Best Mattress Pick Helix Midnight Luxe A pressure-relieving hybrid mattress that’s well-suited to side and back sleepers. 20% off with code: NYS20 Shop Now How to Set a Night Work Sleep Schedule Sleep consistency Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source is key for many employees working night shift schedules. If you wake up at 5 pm for your night shift and normally go to sleep at 8 am after getting home from work, then you also should maintain this sleep-wake schedule on your days off. Obviously, this can be difficult to accomplish. Make sure significant others, children, roommates, and anyone else sharing your roof understands the importance of your designated sleep time. Light and noise exposure may be other issues for sleeping during the day. Try drawing the shades or sleeping with an eye mask if your bedroom tends to be bright during the day. Earplugs and white noise machines can be effective at blocking outside sounds. Unless you are on call, consider turning your phone off while you sleep. Getting a good night’s rest is essential and creating a bedroom environment conducive to rest can have a huge impact. Rather than immediately going to bed, some shift workers prefer to stay up for a few hours after arriving home. This way, they can wake up closer to the time when they start their next night shift. For others, a split-nap schedule is more effective. This involves napping for a few hours after getting home in the morning and then sleeping for longer in the hours leading up to the next shift’s start time. Before going to bed, consider a hot shower or bath, meditation, or another relaxing activity. Although alcohol has sedative properties that help you fall asleep more easily, you may experience sleep disturbances or fragmented sleep as your body breaks down the alcohol. Some shift workers take melatonin supplements to fall asleep during the day, but you should consult with your doctor before taking melatonin because it can have an impact on your sleep-wake rhythms. Learn How to Survive Sleep Deprivation Sign up to receive emails about how to improve your sleep, as well as our comprehensive Better Sleep Guidebook. Tips for Staying Awake During Shift Work While you are at work during an irregular shift, strategies to stay refreshed and alert may include: Caffeine in moderation: Caffeine can provide an energy boost for shift workers, but it should be consumed carefully and in moderation. A cup of coffee or caffeinated soda is recommended at the beginning of your shift. The caffeine will usually take effect within 15-20 minutes. Moderate amounts of caffeine every one to two hours will be more effective than heavy amounts. You should avoid consuming caffeine within three to four hours of the time you plan to go to sleep. Get the blood moving: If you have enough time during a scheduled break, consider a brief workout or a jog around your workplace. Even a small amount of exercise can provide an energy boost. Take a nap: You can also snooze on your break if you’d rather sleep than exercise. A nap of 10-20 minutes Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source is considered ideal because you won’t enter deep sleep and feel excessively groggy when it’s time to wake up. For some shift workers, the “coffee nap” can be effective. This strategy involves drinking a cup of coffee and then taking a nap that lasts 15-20 minutes. Your wake-up time will coincide with the caffeine in the coffee taking effect. Exercise caution: People who experience sleep problems due to shift work are at higher risk of on-the-job errors and accidents. The same is true of employees who are new to shift work, or those who are working shifts that are longer than usual. Consider a post-work snooze: Drowsy driving accidents are another hazard associated with shift work. According to the most recent statistics, midnight to 6 am Trusted Source National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Through enforcing vehicle performance standards and partnerships with state and local governments, NHTSA reduces deaths, injuries and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes. View Source is one of the most dangerous periods of the day for drowsy driving. If your workplace does not have a room where you can nap undisturbed, you can try dozing for a few minutes in your car before leaving the property. If you begin to feel drowsy behind the wheel, pull over at the next available opportunity where you can park safely and nap for a few minutes. Finding the right system for you may require some trial and error. Most adults require seven hours Trusted Source Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM) JCSM is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. View Source or more of daily sleep, although some adults can get by on slightly less or slightly more sleep. Tips for Employees With Rotating Shifts Fixed shift work creates plenty of sleep challenges for employees, but rotating shifts Trusted Source UCLA Health For more than 60 years, UCLA Health has provided the best in health care and the latest in medical technology to the people of Los Angeles and throughout the world. View Source that involve different start and times for shifts during a given week or month can exacerbate these issues. Rotating shifts vary by workplace, but some of the most common rotating schedules for employees include the following: Dupont: This schedule operates on a four-week cycle and consists of four different teams covering 12-hour shifts. A given team will work blocks of both day and night shifts lasting three to four days, interspersed with one to three consecutive days off. Each team also receives a seven-day block of days off for every four week period. Panama : Also known as 2-2-3 or the Pitman, the Panama schedule consists of four teams. Two teams trade day shifts throughout the week in two- or three-day blocks, while the other two teams trade off night shifts in two- or three-day blocks. Each team will receive seven non-consecutive days off every two weeks. Southern Swing : This schedule requires employees to work eight hours per shift for seven consecutive days. After each seven-day block of work, employees receive two to three days off. Upon returning to work, the employee’s team will adopt different hours from the previous seven-hour block. Most Southern Swing schedules rotate teams between day, swing, and night shifts. Shift workers with rotating schedules should prepare for shift changes by adjusting their sleep times. Let’s say you are currently working a day shift and planning to rotate to a night shift the following week. You should gradually delay your bedtime by one or two hours each night a few days prior to starting the night shift if possible. This will help you get enough rest and avoid sudden changes. Some rotating shifts are better for sleep than others. For example, rotating from day to afternoon to night shifts is a more natural progression that is easier on your body compared to rotating in the opposite direction or in random patterns. Rotating shifts every two to three days may also be better for workers than rotating their shifts every five to seven days, and too many consecutive night shifts Trusted Source National Safety Council The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate - focusing on eliminating the leading causes of preventable death. They focus their efforts on workplace, roadway, and impairment. View Source can be problematic. If you work a rotating schedule and the routine is wearing you down, consider having a word with your supervisor. They may be able to adjust your shifts or rotations and provide a schedule that is better for your sleep schedule. Still have questions? Ask our community! Join our Sleep Care Community — a trusted hub of sleep health professionals, product specialists, and people just like you. Whether you need expert sleep advice for your insomnia or you’re searching for the perfect mattress, we’ve got you covered. Get personalized guidance from the experts who know sleep best. References 9 Sources Redeker, N., Caruso, C., Hashmi, S., Mullington, J., Grandner, M., & Morganthaler, T. (2019). Workplace Interventions to Promote Sleep Health and an Alert, Healthy Workforce. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 15(4). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30952228/ Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2019, September). Job Flexibilities and Work Schedules Summary. (USDL-19-1691). https://www.bls.gov/news.release/flex2.nr0.htm American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2014). The International Classification of Sleep Disorders – Third Edition (ICSD-3). Darien, IL. https://aasm.org/clinical-resources/international-classification-sleep-disorders/ Lammers-van der Holst, H. M., Murphy, A. S., Wise, J., & Duffy, J. F. (2020). Sleep tips for shift workers in the time of pandemic. Southwest Journal of Pulmonary & Critical Care, 20(4), 128–130. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7189699/ Brooks, A., & Lack, L. (2006). A Brief Afternoon Nap Following Nocturnal Sleep Restriction: Which Nap Duration is Most Recuperative? Sleep, 29(6), 831–840. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16796222/ National High Traffic Safety Administration. (n.d.). Drowsy Driving. https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drowsy-driving Consensus Conference Panel, Watson NF, Badr MS, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(6):591-592. Published 2015 Jun 15. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4758 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25979105/ UCLA Health. (n.d.). Coping with Shift Work. https://www.uclahealth.org/sleepcenter/coping-with-shift-work National Safety Council. (2017). Shiftwork: Challenges and Managing Risks. https://www.nsc.org/Portals/0/Documents/Fatigue%20Documents/Fact-Sheets/Shiftwork.pdf Learn More About Shift Work Disorder How Employers Can Support Shift Workers By Yazan Hamzeh October 5, 2026 Shift Work Disorder Symptoms By Lauren Fountain June 30, 2026 How Is Shift Work Disorder Diagnosed? By Lauren Fountain June 15, 2026 How to Sleep During the Day By Lauren Fountain June 15, 2026 Tips for Coping With Shift Work Disorder By Lauren Fountain June 15, 2026 Shift Work Disorder By Lucy Bryan June 11, 2026 Shift Work By Lucy Bryan June 11, 2026 Treatments for Shift Work Disorder By Danielle Pacheco July 25, 2025 Sleep Debt: The Hidden Cost of Insufficient Rest By Rob Newsom July 10, 2025 Other Articles of Interest How Sleep Works Why Can't I Stay Awake? What Happens When You Sleep? Can You Get Rid Of Sleep Debt? Sleep Facts Sleep Patterns Sleep Solutions Best Mattress Best Sheets Best Mattress for Heavy People Best Mattress for Back Pain Best Mattress for Side Sleepers Sleep Apnea Learn About Sleep Apnea Central Sleep Apnea Obstructive Sleep Apnea Children and Sleep Apnea Link Between Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease Circadian Rhythm Circadian Rhythms Explained How Does Daylight Savings Time Affect Your Circadian Rhythm Can You Change Your Circadian Rhythm? Jet Lag Sleep Stages