Shift Work Sleep
Anchor sleep, light and caffeine on a steady rhythm, even when your shifts rotate.
For people who work shifts, for example in healthcare, manufacturing or transport. The program keeps anchor sleep, light and caffeine on a steady rhythm and takes a moment at the start and end of each shift.
A day in the program
Tasks, in order.
Times assume waking at 7:00 and going to sleep at 23:00. In the app, they shift to fit you.
Night
- 0:00Finish your last caffeineFood · Every day
When midnight is approaching, finish your last coffee, about 8 hours before your planned sleep at 8:00. After that, drink water or herbal tea. With a different shift schedule, shift the time so that about 8 hours pass between your last coffee and sleep.
How much caffeine. Keep a single serving under 200 mg of caffeine and your daily total under 400 mg (EFSA 2015).
Why 8 hours. According to a meta-analysis, a cup of coffee with about 100 mg of caffeine needs to be had about 8.8 hours before sleep, or it shortens your sleep (Gardiner et al. 2023).
Morning
- 7:30Put on sunglassesLifestyle · Every day
When you head home after a night shift by public transport or someone else is driving, put on sunglasses even if it is cloudy. If you are driving yourself, do not wear dark glasses, as they can add to drowsiness; close the curtains as soon as you get home. Skip this on days without a night shift.
Less light before sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises shift workers to limit morning light on the way home. If you are driving, do not wear dark glasses, and close the curtains as soon as you get home (AASM 2007).
- 8:00Get 4 hours of anchor sleep4 h · Sleep · Every day
When you get home, sleep for at least 4 hours at the same time every day, days off included; the default is 8:00 to 12:00. Darken the bedroom and use earplugs. Set the time to match your shift schedule.
Caution. Drowsy driving after a night shift can be dangerous. If your eyes are closing, do not drive, or pull over somewhere safe and take a short nap.
Why anchor sleep. A planned sleep schedule is one of the approaches the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends for shift workers. An anchor block is a simple form of it, but the evidence is limited and people vary a lot (AASM 2007).
Evening
- 20:30Nap before a night shift20 min · Sleep · Every day
When a night shift is ahead of you in the evening, lie down for 20 minutes with an alarm set. Skip this on days without a night shift.
Nap length. In the lab, a nap of about ten minutes worked best; after thirty minutes, grogginess came first (Brooks and Lack 2006). Twenty minutes before a night shift is a practical rule.
Night
- 22:00Turn on bright lightLifestyle · Every day
When your night shift begins, work the first half under the brightest light you can. Skip this on days off.
Light at night. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends timed bright light during night shifts to reduce sleepiness, though the certainty of evidence is low (AASM).
General suggestions for everyday wellbeing, not medical advice. Adjust the tasks to suit you. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication regularly, talk to your doctor before making changes.
What our programs build onSources
What the program builds on.
An anchor sleep block is a simple form of the planned sleep schedule the AASM recommends for shift workers.
Light during night shifts and limiting morning light on the way home follow the AASM recommendations, though the certainty of evidence is low.
The program keeps caffeine under 200 mg at once and 400 mg a day.
Your last caffeine is scheduled about 8.8 hours before sleep so it does not cut your daytime sleep short.
Tasks are tied to the start and end of your shift, not to the clock, because a habit holds on to the same cue.
A short nap before a night shift follows a trial in which a nap of about ten minutes worked best, without grogginess afterward.