Shift work that includes nights interrupts the natural rhythms of the body and can make it difficult to get to sleep when you need to sleep and be alert when you need to work. Working shifts requires you to quite literally shift your sleep to a time that doesn’t feel natural. Some people adapt to this very quickly whilst others find it more difficult. It can mean you get less sleep and feel the effects of sleep deprivation in both the long and short term, and for some it can lead to an insomnia problem where it becomes difficult to sleep well at anytime.

Working a night shift is very challenging to your body and mind because your are turning your sleep on its head and confusing your circadian rhythm (your body clock). Essentially it creates the same effect as jet lag. Added to that, there may be all sorts of psychological factors making it difficult for your mind to let go and let you sleep. It takes a lot of skill to work shifts and still get enough sleep. That’s why the Sleep Shifter Programme exists - to equip you with those skills and help you to get the sleep you need.

For most people - no. Although you might be exhausted and be able to drop off very quickly, your body and mind are not in an ideal condition to sleep. This may mean only sleeping for a short amount of time, having poor quality sleep or having disturbed sleep with very active dreams, instances of sleep walking or shouting out in your sleep. This is explored in depth in the Sleep Shifter Programme - what to do before you go to bed and how to set yourself up for better sleep after a night shift.

Working shifts has been linked to an increased risk of various health problems and even to a shortened life expectancy. Whilst there are a number of factors that contribute to this, including lifestyle and diet, I believe that sleep is the most important factor because sleep is the foundation stone to good physical and mental health. The average shift worker gets significantly less sleep than is needed to be healthy. Therefore, if you work on improving and optimising your sleep, the risks to your health will decrease.

Yes, there are some people who are naturally able to get a good quantity and quality of sleep despite working shifts. For other people this is more difficult. There is no doubt that working shifts is a very challenging thing to do, which is why I believe that equipping yourself with sleep skills to support you in your shift work is the most beneficial thing you could do for yourself. This programme empowers you with knowledge, skills and techniques to help you learn how to get the most from your sleep and support your general well-being whilst working irregular hours.

This is not an unusual experience. If you are only sleeping for a short amount if time after a shift, you are likely only getting one sleep cycle before you are wide awake again. Even if you are wide awake and don’t feel like you could drop off, you have not had enough sleep and the effects of this will be felt somewhere - perhaps an energy crash later in the day, you health or your mood. Essentially, this happens because your mind has not calmed down. You probably dropped off because you were exhausted but you were not in a good physical or mental state for sleep. In this programme, I teach you how to get yourself into the optimum state for a good quantity and quality of sleep after a night shift.

It starts as soon as you sign up and it never ends. You have ongoing access for as long as this programme exists so you can come back to it anytime you need to. You can work through the whole programme in your own time, at your own pace. I suggest that you take your time and focus on implementing what you learn as you go rather than racing to the end.