health+wellbeing The importance of sleep

The variable hours that many nurses and midwives work can make it tough to get enough sleep. While it may seem like losing sleep is not a big deal, sleep deprivation can have a range of negative effects that go way beyond fatigue or drowsiness.

Good sleep habits

‘Sleep hygiene’ refers to the strategies you put in place to ensure you develop and maintain good sleep habits, allowing you to have enough quality sleep.

Some basic strategies for ensuring a good night’s sleep for shift workers can include:

• trying to go to bed at the same time every day and getting up at the same time too

• turning off all technology at least one hour before bedtime, including mobile phones and television

• creating a comfortable room and bed to sleep in; dark and quiet rooms promote sleep

• avoiding caffeine four to six hours before going to sleep

• avoiding alcohol, cigarettes and sleeping pills before bed

• getting fresh air into your bedroom

• where possible, developing a sleep routine prior to bedtime.

If you are on a late shift, try to have a full sleep before going to work. This is better than sleeping earlier in the day so you’re tired before your shift begins. If this is not possible, taking a nap before going to work may help. A maximum 15-minute nap is best, then a short postnap activity such as a five-minute walk will help you to wake up properly before resuming other activities.

When you are trying to keep up with the demands of a busy schedule, cutting back on sleep may feel like your only option. But over time, even minimal sleep loss can have an impact on your physical health, mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. Lack of sleep can affect your judgement, coordination and reaction times. Sleeping loss impairs judgement and performance: 17 hours without sleep is as dangerous as having a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. The recommended amount of sleep for adults is seven to nine hours per 24-hour period.

Effects of sleep deprivation

• fatigue, lethargy, lack of motivation

• moodiness, irritability, increased risk of depression

• relationship problems

• impaired learning and concentration, memory problems

• reduced creativity and problemsolving skills, difficulty making decisions

• inability to cope with stress and difficulty managing emotions

• premature ageing of the skin

• weakened immune system, frequent colds and infections

• weight gain

• impaired motor skills and increased risk of accidents

• increased risk of serious health problems including stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers.

If you are struggling with any of these, you might want to talk to your general practitioner as a starting point.

Nurse & Midwife Support provides free and confidential support 24/7 to nurses, midwives and students Australian wide. If you would like to speak to someone call 1800 667 877.

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