Communicate clearly with your loved ones about the challenges you’re facing and what you need to tend to your basic needs (like getting good sleep). Well-timed naps can also increase alertness and reduce errors. Consistently eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, and moving your body-even something simple like walking or biking-will support your long-term health and help mitigate the toll of working nights. Establishing healthy sleep habits will help you feel more rested, and can even help prevent shift work sleep disorder.Įstablish a routine. Try going to bed right after work, cutting back on caffeine for the last four hours of your shift, and ensuring your bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet. Ensuring you have dedicated, regular time to get enough sleep can be challenging, but is incredibly important to ensure your health long-term. Here at Empower Work, we are committed to supporting and uplifting the mental health and wellbeing of anyone who’s struggling working the night shift-whatever your role or industry. In addition to May 11 marking National Third Shift Workers Day, the month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Protecting your mental health on the night shift The physical strain of working overnight, coupled with the mental and emotional strain of feeling disconnected from loved ones during the daytime, can be incredibly taxing. so throughout this year I began feeling burnt out.” “I’m literally working all day and night, whenever I am needed. It’s not uncommon for this disconnect to lead to feelings of isolation, underappreciation, and even exploitation.Īll of these challenges can take a toll, especially if you feel like you don’t have agency in your situation. They may not be reachable or responsive to problems that arise. “My schedule was used as an excuse to exclude me from training.”ĭepending on your industry, even if you and your coworkers on the front lines work nights, the management might mostly work 9-5. Her observation of my work and the level I'm at is unjustifiable as she had not seen me work.” “I work nights and I am overlooked and underappreciated. We also hear from third shift workers who struggle with feeling unrecognized for their work: For some, this can lead to a sense of loss or disconnection from the rest of the world. In addition to sleep disruption, other basic needs like spending time outside, supporting family, connecting with your community, or even just commuting to/from work can also be more challenging with an overnight schedule. Research has established “ high confidence” that disturbing this biological timing causes numerous health issues for those who work the third shift over many years.
Working through the night goes against our natural circadian rhythms, or our physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. “I've worked long nights, and put my basic care needs to the side.” Those who have reached out to our confidential text line have shared: The most common issue we hear is dealing with the health and lifestyle impacts of the night shift. You also know it comes with hardships and frustrations, many of which can take their toll on you and your mental health. If you’re one of the millions of people working at night-as a nurse, delivery driver, emergency medical responder, utility worker, warehouse associate, janitor, security guard, rideshare driver, or any other overnight role-you know your work is integral to keep your community running. Or maybe you have no choice: you’re juggling multiple jobs, going to school, caregiving during the day, or your role requires working the night shift.Īt Empower Work, we hear from people every day who are struggling with the mental, physical, and social effects of working the night shift.
If you’re a 3rd shift worker, you might be choosing to work these nontraditional hours: perhaps your field offers better pay overnight, or you are a night owl and prefer being awake at night. National Third Shift Workers Day, recognized on May 11, acknowledges and uplifts everyone who works through the night to keep our communities running and safe. Bureau of Labor Statistics, three million Americans work the “graveyard shift” (between midnight and 8:00am), and another four million work shifts in the evening.
Every day, millions of people show up to work.Įvery night, millions more do the same-three million, to be exact.
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