How to stay awake during the Graveyard Shift?

The graveyard shift or the midnight shift is the working hours that usually run as night shift from midnight to early morning Eight. These unusual work timings are very difficult to cope up with and staying awake during this graveyard shift can be a big challenge for beginners. You can get to experience these kinds of shift timings in companies and stores that operate 24/7 without closing.

There are various ways to stay awake during the midnight shift without causing any hazards to your body health and also to your personal relationships with your family and loved ones. Staying awake all night is surely a tiresome job that requires loads of adjustment done by your body.

Mostly people will find it difficult to stay awake from 1 PM to 4 AM, which are the most tempting hours for sleep. You might not want to sleep yet doze away like a log. Eyes will get tired; therefore will shut down without pre-warning. Here are a few tips to stay awake during the graveyard shift without compromising on health related issues by adapting your body to the night shift.

1. Sleep before leaving for work

It is very essential that you sleep for one or two hours before your graveyard shift commences. This nap will provide enough energy to withstand three to five hours of sleepless nights.

2. Drink plenty of warm water

Most of the people try drinking hot coffee for staying awake through the shifts, since it is considered as the perfect stimulant. But the thing with coffee is that it is acidic in nature. When you drink hot coffee in the early morning hours it will increase the acid level in your stomach, causing intense pain and can even lead to gastric ulcers in severe cases. Sometimes coffee can deprive the fluids from your body by excreting them as urine. If you want to stay hydrated, then drinking warm water is a safe and healthy option.

3. Eat well balanced diet

Most of the restaurants are closed during the night time; therefore it is important to focus on eating a healthy well balanced diet food. It is better to prepare a nutritious meal from home and take it along with you, in case you want to avoid midnight cravings.

4. Follow a regular exercise regime

Along with a well-balanced healthy diet, it is very important for you to stay fit by doing regular exercises. This will increase blood circulation to every part of your body and offers you a sound sleep at day time, thus preventing more heart pressure and stress. With an ample amount of sleep, healthy diets and exercise, you will be ready fresh and fit for the graveyard shift. But never exercise before sleeping because this might cause certain health complications such as sleeplessness and abnormal heart rate.

5. Follow proper sleeping pattern

Sleeping at day times might be not suitable for you initially, but by preparing your body for this new transition will do wonders. Try to sleep between 1pm to 5pm every day. Make it a compulsory schedule and start following it regularly. Try to sleep for maximum of 8 hours and always sleep in a dark room where there is less noise. You can relax for a few minutes before going to sleep by reading books or listening to soothing music. The regular sleeping pattern will enable you to sleep soundly and wake up fresh for the graveyard shift!

You can also browse through the virtual medium to find many more useful steps to stay awake during these shift timings.