What are the best ways for nurses to get enough sleep?

I think we need to be honest and accept that sleep is going to be harder if you are a nurse working shifts than it is for the general population. It's easy to say you need to optimise for wake up time but a lot harder to put in practise. I'd say whenever you are going to sleep give your body enough time to relax and wind down. you might be shattered but you are probably not ready for sleep. Have a consistent routine in terms of activities before sleep so your body knows, when we do these things it's time for sleep. Watch the same programme on TV for example. Use naps if you don't meet your sleep need in terms of quality and quantity. Less than 30 minutes or more than an hour and a half. Don't eat heavy meals before a night shift.

Sleep and rest are essential to everyone, especially nurses who work long and irregular shifts and must prioritize their sleep. A good sleep schedule can benefit their health, performance, and well-being. Approaches we can take when considering our sleep schedule include: - Aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night. Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time for this amount of sleep. Try to keep this schedule consistent even on your days off. - Avoid any stressful or stimulating activities, such as checking work emails, watching the news, or playing video games. - Follow a relaxing bedtime routine. Do something that helps you unwind before bed, such as reading, listening to music, meditating, or taking a warm bath.

Planning a sleep schedule according to when you need to wake up is key. This allows adequate time to sleep and get rest before working and giving of yourself physically and mentally to your patients.

Use an alarm clock to remind you when to prepare to go to sleep so you put away screens. If possible, use flight mode and do not disturb to avoid disrupting your sleep cycles.

I had this type of complaints from many people and told them to get a warm cup of milk just before sleep and this helped them to sleep quickly and more deeply. When they wake up, they feel recharged and energetic. In addition, milk will improve your general health condition and your skeletal health especially for women.

Nurses, who often work long and irregular shifts, may face challenges in maintaining good sleep hygiene. However, there are some strategies that nurses can use to optimize their sleep and reduce the adverse effects of sleep deprivation. Some of these strategies are: - Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other stimulants or depressants close to bedtime. - Make your sleeping environment comfortable and dark. Use curtains, blinds, or an eye mask to block out any light. Turn off or silence any devices that might disturb you, such as phones, TVs, or computers. You can also use earplugs, a fan, or a white noise machine to mask any noise.

Turning off televisions and limiting screen time on cell phones in the time before sleep does help with getting a better quality of sleep. Limiting background noise or using sound machines may also help to relax more and achieve deeper sleep.

I pretty much think this says it all. With that said, facilities do need to offer more to their staff on all levels. Yes,EAP is great, but, really listening to staff needs. I think a facility’s biggest failure is keeping morale up. Managers,charge nurses and all staff need morale boosters, not always food related. I remember at a hospital I worked at, they offered chair massages on the units every other month. Also being told thank you. Not just during nurses well or a news letter. If the upper management were more staff accessible this would also go a long way to work on stress levels. Knowing someone high up the chain cares is a biggie.

Stress levels can rise with a new job and profession and also in caring for others. Important to invest in self-care and time away from work to refill your cup to overflow to avoid burnout.

Healthcare, including nurses, are challenged with many situations that produce stressors to health and well-being. Stress can interfere with sleep, as it can cause anxiety, worry, and racing thoughts. To get enough sleep, nurses need to manage their stress levels effectively. Some strategies that can help are: - Deep breathing - Meditation & yoga - Progressive muscle relaxation before bedtime or during breaks - Taking breaks from work or study - Engaging in physical activity or exercise - Listening to relaxing music or sounds - Talking to someone you trust when needed.

Stress is inevitable given our kind of work, 'selective detachment' has worked for me, knowing when I have done enough, not carrying the job related emotional load home as well as the life pressures, that they don't interfere with how I interact with my patients. Journaling is also quite effective for the coping strategies

Agreed. Support from peers is important. It is also important to recognize when you need that support. Many in the healthcare field are what is termed “type A” personality, meaning we basically don’t slow down so burnout and definitely sleep disorders are higher than normal. A family member, good friend, or a nurse manager should be able to recognize some of the issues. We as healthcare professionals need to stop and listen. Seeking help is not a taboo anymore.

The suggestions in the other questions are all likely helpful to some individuals (although in my experience, many shiftworkers are already doing good sleep hygiene etc.) - but you are often fighting your body clock in work and when trying to sleep, so aiming for 7-9h between night shifts may be unrealistic. Instead, do what you can. Stressing about sleep is the best way to get even less sleep. What will be more helpful is systematic change - the organisation planning work schedules that work WIT people's body clocks and sleep ability, rather than against them (so far as reasonably practical). Educating management is another key area. Collecting data about the consequences of sleep loss can provide the evidence for this system-wide change.

In my experience, here are some additional ways we can improve our sleep: - Adjusting your light exposure. Get more sunlight during the day and avoid blue light from screens at night. - Watching what you eat and drink. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and large meals close to bedtime. - Using sleep technology. Gadgets and products like intelligent beds, fitness trackers, apps, and devices can help you monitor and optimize your sleep.

The more burned out I became, the less physical activity I did and the worse I slept. The worse I slept, the more I had to fall back on eating bad foods, drinking caffiene and pushing myself until I dropped. The biggest shock began after my recovery started. Imagine my surprise when I slept like a baby after; 1. Set bedtime. 2. Set wake time. 3. Set time to exercise every morning. Shocking right? Routine really does work to regulate sleep better than anything else I have ever tried. Not only did I feel better, more clear headed all day but I also had more energy and stamina. After a short time, I was tired at bedtime and fell asleep easily most night. This was a contrast to my normal night owl habits.