Opening One Day, Closing the Next: Managing Sleep on a Rotating Work Schedule

How do you carve out sleep consistency when you are a second shift “closer” during the week and a first shift “opener” on the weekends, for example? Just as you start getting used to a closer schedule, your shift changes and you’re opening again.  Too much of this and you are likely to develop shift work disorder. What It Is Shift work disorder is a medical condition that affects people who work non-traditional schedules. Insomnia-like symptoms characterize it and occur when the person tries to sleep and experiences excessive sleepiness when awake. Most things are planned for the day worker even though more than 22 million Americans work evening, rotating, or on-call shifts. As if trying to fit into a 9 to 5 world on a rotating shift wasn’t hard enough, most shift workers sleep one to four hours fewer than non-shift workers.  Why It’s Used and Who It Affects Shift work supports 24-hour smooth operations or allows for cross-training in the business world while not overworking their workers.  It is commonly used for manufacturing, health care, transportation, retail employees, and hospitality. Pros and Cons There are several advantages to shift work. These include increased knowledge of business operations, more...