Insomnia in Nurses

The nursing profession has more workers suffering from insomnia than any profession overall.  It's really not surprising: rotating shifts, long hours, emotionally draining days or nights, and of course the pressure of not making a mistake. It all can take its toll, and that toll may be in the form of insomnia.

 

Insomnia Facts

Do you ever look at s sleeping baby, and think about how you wish you could sleep like that?  Babies have no daily worries. Someone always cares for their needs, so their minds are not preoccupied with “what ifs”, or consumed with thoughts of everything that must be accomplished the following day.  No wonder we can't sleep!  One of the main reasons so many nurses suffer from insomnia is that it's difficult to essentially shut the mind down.  You can physically put your body to bed, however you cannot reach in the brain, flip a switch, and turn of the mind.  Think of it like this; you get a comfortable blanket and pillow however instead of lying in bed, you lie down on a roller coaster. You are all prepared to sleep, and it takes off.  The roller coaster is a representation of your mind.  It can be exhausting.  So, what do you do, how do you let the day go?

Learning to Relax

The key to getting a good night sleep, is learning to relax, and that starts by letting the day go. There is a scientific method to follow in order to let the day go and it goes as follows:

• Allow time for processing. Prior to going to bed think about the day, the good, the bad, the happy, and the sad. Go over in your mind what worked well, and what didn’t. If you find it beneficial, sometimes keeping a journal writing down thoughts of how the day went helps. The next time you have a similar day you can go back and refer to the journal and see that essentially, “this too shall pass”.   Once you spend time thinking about the day, and what bothers you most about the shift you just worked, think about how it could’ve been different, what could you’ve done differently? Then take that question and turn it into a lesson.  Perhaps you just learned something new and it will benefit others in the future. Set a timer on your phone for approximately 30 minutes to allow the thought process.  When the 30 minutes is up, it’s time to move on, put today on the back burner until tomorrow.

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• Be sure to allow time to unwind before going to bed. Once in bed if you have problems falling asleep think of a favorite place that you’ve been, of a place you would like to go. In your mind let your thoughts drift you to that place imagine what you be doing who you’d be with what it be like. Keep this pleasant thought in your mind until you drift off to sleep. 
• Avoid caffeine. If you go to bed at 10 o’clock at night, avoid caffeine from 3 PM on. Opt for chamomile tea before bed, this can be a natural means to relaxation.  Avoid foods that may be spicy and cause indigestion that can be a real culprit in keeping someone awake.

What to do When You Just Cannot Sleep

There will be times that no matter what you do, it’s one of those sleepless nights.  Other than lie in bed tossing and turning, get up.  In other words, don’t fight it.  Find something to do, just try to avoid anything too stimulating.  By being productive, at least it’s not a total wasted night.  When you do begin to feel sleepy, you can go back to bed, and hopefully get some sleep.  Allow a few minutes of “fall asleep” time when you first lay down, however generally after 30 minutes, it is inevitable, you are not going to sleep right now.  One hobby that many people are enjoying today is adult coloring books.  Many people find this a very relaxing hobby, and find that coloring before bed helps them to relax to the point they often fall asleep while coloring, it’s worth a try. 

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Last, but not least, if it’s been an especially difficult day, consider an over the counter sleep medication.  One thing to consider is, if you are not in pain, there is no need to take a pain reliever.  Consider Tylenol PM as Tylenol with a dose of Benadryl.  If pain isn’t an issue, skip the Tylenol, and take Benadryl.  One or two should help create a drowsy feeling.  Make sure if you opt for a sleep aid that you have at least 7 hours’ time available to devote to sleep.   One more trick that some people think really helps to relax the mind is the scent of lavender.  There are sprays made to put on the pillow that have a very light scent of lavender, and it may create a soothing sensation and allow for relaxation. 

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