The apprehension before a long shift is known by every nurse. When one is working 12-16 hour shifts, there is not a lot of time for rest or self-care. And working a job where you are on your feet all day is exhausting too. However, many nurses have learned how to get extra sleep and take advantage of the little downtime they do have. This means that you must take your health seriously, this includes your mental and physical health. 

In the same week, a nurse may have a 12-hour shift starting on Monday night, another 12-hour shift on Wednesday morning, and a 12-hour shift starting on Friday afternoon. So, a nurse has to plan his or her life around these shifts. Finding time to go grocery shopping or to pick up a poster for their child’s school project. For these reasons, they must practice healthy habits to muster up the strength to get through a long workday. 

The anticipation before working 12+ hour shifts can be stressful, here are some tips to take the edge off long shifts:

Stay Hydrated

Being dehydrated can lead to a person feeling tired even after a full night of sleep. Drinking more water during the day can prevent you from feeling tired even when you shouldn’t be. If you notice that you don’t use the bathroom often, it doesn’t just mean you have a superior bladder, you are probably mildly dehydrated. Some people don’t drink enough water because they don’t feel thirsty, but that doesn’t mean your body doesn’t require water. With every snack or meal, you should be having water with it. Make time to drink water and you will notice the effects of it soon after. 

Have a Sleep Schedule

This is common knowledge but you can’t get away with sleeping four hours a night. It will inevitably catch up with you through the form of grogginess, lapses in vision, slower brain functioning, etc. Some nurses may hold off on sleep in order to get closer to the next shift, and then finally get some rest to wake up for their next shift. This is very bad for you, not only is your body becoming sleep deprived, but you are forcing yourself to stay awake. When your body is needing sleep and you deny it, you become used to suppressing that sleep signal. If possible, take a nap to give yourself some restoration. 

When sleeping or napping, making sure the room is comfortable is just as important. Sleeping in a room with blackout curtains will keep the room nice and dark, preventing the sun from keeping you awake. Make sure the room is a comfortable temperature, not too cold or hot. This sets the ideal conditions for achieving the highest quality sleep or nap. 

Plan Your Meals

What you eat plays a vital role in the energy you feel throughout the day. For the many people who skip breakfast, which I am guilty of at times, you feel significantly less energized. Starting the day with a small but quality meal helps power you through the day. Because you can’t make it through the day on water alone, albeit that is necessary as well. If you don’t have the time to make scrambled eggs or an omelet, have a bowl of cereal which requires little effort. But make it a healthy cereal like Special K or bran cereal. You will probably feel worse if you reach for the sugary kid’s cereals, even if the cereal boxes are fun to read. 

During the workday, it is important to keep the momentum going by having fruits, vegetables, and protein. Having lasagna sounds amazing, but it will slow you down and make you feel sluggish during your shift. If you feel tired, to begin with, you should avoid meals like pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. Instead have vegetables, especially leafy greens like spinach, cucumber or zucchini to feel better than you did before. When you consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals you can feel your body thanking you. Because we all know how we feel after eating fast food, and it isn’t good. 

Manage Breaks

Many people become addicted to coffee and caffeinated teas when they start working. This is not only because we feel reliant on these warm beverages, but also because of the incredible creation of a “coffee break”. Making a cup of coffee or tea allows a person a few minutes to collect themselves and do something that benefits only you. It is considered a sacred time in most offices and workplaces in general. If you have a few minutes between patients or cases, take a break and do something for yourself such as making coffee. Those few minutes will help you take a breather and regain focus on the workday ahead of you. 

Long shifts can be very draining, however, by having a healthy routine at work, and properly managing your free time during and after shifts, you can power through a long workday!