smoking Archive - Simply Healthy Sleep - The online-magazine for your perfect sleep experience - Powered by SAMINA

Simply Healthy Sleep - The online-magazine for your perfect sleep experience - Powered by SAMINA

Das Online-Magazin für den perfekten Schlaf.

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Restful sleeping despite shift work

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By nature, it is intended to be active during daytime and to rest during the night. But, the inner clock of people who work in a rotating- or night shift gets disturbed. The adaption of different body rhythms (sleep-wake-rhythm, digestion) becomes difficult. Often, health impairments are the consequences. Besides a physical strain, often mental strains and an unhealthy lifestyle follow. People try to bypass tiredness with excessive caffeine intake. Some try to cope physical strain with smoking and/or rich meals. But, this only leads to a worse sleeping quality.

Shift work leads to health problems

Often, body and mind can’t deal with the strains due to night shift. People concerned often suffer under:

Helpful tips for a better sleeping quality

  • Drink at least two hours before going to sleep no more caffeine-containing beverages like coffee or coke. This would make falling asleep harder.
  • Do without alcohol before going to sleep. Alcohol supports falling asleep but disturbs deep sleep.
  • Avoid rich meals before going to bed. The body would be busy with digestion and the sleep becomes disturbed. Instead, take some light meal. But, don’t go to bed hungry – an empty stomach is diminishing sleeping quality, too.
  • Adapt your body to night shift before it starts. Go to bed later the day before your shift starts and sleep longer into the day. Like this, the change will be easier.
  • Sufficient airing, quietness, darkness and a temperature between 16° and 18° C create perfect preconditions for a restful sleep. Get some hints for perfect preconditions.
  • Inform your family and friends about your shift plan. Like this, they can take your sleeping times into account.
  • Try to stick to regular sleeping times after a shift. Combined with rituals to fall asleep (i.e. take lukewarm showers, listen to favorite music) this supports accommodation of your body to the sleeping times.

Imagesource: @istock

What to do against lack of concentration due to lack of sleep

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Does this sound familiar to you? Sometimes you are lacking concentration and you don’t really know why? Maybe you are lacking sleep. Now and then, every human being has a poor concentration. That’s completely normal. In case it occurs frequently you should get to the bottom. Besides lack of sleep, stress or unhealthy nutrition might be causes for lack of concentration. But, what actually is a poor concentration? Basically, it means that someone concerned is easily distracted by outer stimuli. In no time the thoughts wander and only after a short time they return to the original subject. The person concerned has a reduced ability to occupy with a certain task for a longer period of time.

Consult your physician when lack of concentration persists

Do you feel affected? Do you have the feeling of suffering under lack of concentration? If so, seek medical advice. First, your doctor is going to do an anamnesis, meaning he is dealing with your medical history. A physical examination is following. This ensures that the occurring lack of concentration is no sign of a major illness. If an iron deficiency or a malfunction of the thyroid is suspected a blood test is made.

Hints for treatment of lack of concentration: be proactive

After consulting a physician you can do something against your lack of concentration by yourself. The following hints are helpful when your problems only arise now and then:

  • Hint 1: Nourish yourself well balanced. Fruits, vegetables, nuts etc. should be part of your everyday’s diet. Only when your brain is sufficiently supplied with nutrients it is able to work at “full power”.
  • Hint 2: Drink sufficiently. Two liters of natural water or mineral water are advisable. If you like something “tastier” drink some herbal tea or a juice mixed with water. However, avoid drinking too much caffeine containing beverages.
  • Hint 3: Smoking is a further threat for your concentration. If not prescribed by your doctor, sedatives and stimulants are taboo.
  • Hint 4: Care for sufficient sleep, at least seven hours per night. It is advisable to care for a regular sleep-wake-cycle, too.
  • Hint 5: Breaks in everyday life are a good idea when you are feeling exhausted. Already short breaks of about 15 minutes support the regeneration of body and mind. During this time you recharge your batteries and are able to continue work with full power afterwards.
  • Hint 6: Try meditative breathing exercises. Sit in an upright position, put your feet on the ground. Lay down your hands on your thighs and take some deep breaths.
  • Hint 7: Place a fragrance lamp with essential oils at your working place. This effectively counteracts lack of concentration. Lavender, rosemary oil or citrus fragrances are very popular.

With these seven hints you are significantly preventing from lack of concentration. Their implementation is easy. Be initiative and from now on go through your life well focused. In future, unrest and forgetfulness belong to the past. Your mood will positively change, too!

Receive further information in our sleep-healthy-guidebook “sleep yourself young, fit and successful”, free of cost.

Imagesource: @istock