A Guide to Getting Through the Night Shift in Nursing

Nurses have one of the hardest jobs there is, they work in high-pressure environments, face difficult situations, and do long and sometimes unpredictable hours — their work can literally be life and death. Just one of the difficult aspects of the job is the night shift. It’s unavoidable for most nurses, no matter their speciality or workplace, even students enrolled in accelerated nursing programs and those juggling placements, work, and study, have to make time to work long and late nights. 

So what’s the key to surviving the graveyard shift? Well, chances are that it’s going to be hard at first while your body clock adjusts, but there are some things you can do to help yourself along the way. 

1. Set up and stick to a sleep routine

We know that sleep hygiene is important for everyone, but it’s even more so for those working late nights, overnights, or generally demanding hours. While it might seem like an unrealistic suggestion for a shift working nurse to have a sleep schedule, don’t be too quick to dismiss the idea. While working on a changing roster might make it difficult to have a regular routine when it comes to the hours that you sleep, try to implement a standard practice wherever you can. Even just sleeping the same amount of hours every day or night can help with the quality of your rest. Sleep hygiene is not just about the actual timing of sleep though, it’s a combination of both your environment and your behaviors. Implement consistency in when and how you sleep. For example, sleeping in the same place, ensuring darkness, having the same routine before bed (this could include skincare, reading, or any other activity that helps you wind down). Additionally, find pillows that you love, don’t make yourself too hot or too cold, and consider the noise in the room — do you need silence to sleep? Maybe you prefer soft music or white noise in the background?

2. Plan and prepare for your shifts 

This one might be hard for those last minute shift covers, but it’s a good idea to keep in mind for your regularly rostered work. Planning and preparing for your shifts will help them feel a little less chaotic and exhausting when you’re trying to get through them. If you have a water bottle you like to use, take it with you already filled so that when you do get a rare moment to run and take a sip, it’s ready and waiting for you. Similarly, take your meals and snacks with you. Taking healthier food is ideal to help you feel properly fueled through the nights, but ensuring you have food, and enough of it, is most important. This will save you from scrambling on your short breaks to find something, and sometimes ending up spending money on food you might not even want. Snacks are important for shorter breaks where you might not have time for a complete meal but need to eat something. In addition to food and drinks, prepare for your shifts by planning your route or travel to work, ensuring you have clean clothes for the night, and anything else that might help, in advance. It’ll save you some stress in what can already be an overwhelming, or at least tiring, event. 

3. Enjoy your time outside of work

Hopefully this one is a priority outside of just getting through long shifts, but it also really might help you on those difficult overnights. Enjoying your time outside of work contributes to a positive work life balance, so book in your holidays, take time for yourself, and do the things you love on your days off; it will make the nights when you have to go to work and really don’t feel like it, feel worth it. As they get older, many adults tend to lose touch with the hobbies they had as a child, or stop enjoying them but neglect to replace them with something new. Having a hobby is a great way to unwind, connect with other people, and ensure you have a way to easily take time for yourself. Similarly, maintaining a healthy social life and connecting to your communities is incredibly beneficial to your mental health and your work life balance, both of which can help when work starts to feel a little overwhelming. 

4. Don’t overdo it on caffeine 

The easiest thing to do when you’re feeling low on energy is to find yourself a caffeine fix. As a stimulant, caffeine can be great when it comes to helping you feel more energized, but you do need to be careful with it. It’s a good idea to try to avoid caffeine when you first wake up, as it can negatively impact your energy levels later in the day. Similarly, avoid having any caffeine too close to bedtime, as this can negatively affect your sleep, and consequently create a cycle of tiredness. You don’t have to give up your daily latte or favorite energy drink, just try to be mindful of when and how you have them. 

Night shift is an unavoidable reality for many nurses, and it can be difficult for some. Nursing is a career that requires you to be focused on ready-to-go at all times, so it’s important to look after yourself during, and in preparation for, those hard overnight shifts. Getting quality sleep, preparing yourself for work whenever you can, enjoying your ‘you time’, and being mindful of your caffeine intake are just some ways you can help yourself through a night shift.