How You Can Make Sure You Stay Comfortable During Your Shift

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Working the night shift is a painful situation for most workers. Some will even settle for less pay if it means they don’t have to go through such an experience, but no one can blame them. Not only will you lose hours of sleep, but you might also get sick or suffer from health problems. 

Sure. You can get more sleep after work, but that’s not a luxury anyone can afford, especially since some companies use a work shift system. In fact, around 16% of employees follow this system, and since you’re reading this article, you must be part of that 16%. 

Your best alternative is to get used to this kind of work environment and perhaps take steps to make it more comfortable. Here are eight different ways to make sure you can stay comfortable during your shift.

Invest in comfortable items 

Just like how businesses invest in useful equipment, you must also invest in comfortable items. This is perhaps the easiest way to stay comfy during your work shift. You can think of it as spending money so you can make money more easily. 

While there are a variety of items to choose from, experts suggest getting eye masks and earplugs to make your sleep a lot more comfortable. 

Buying comfortable clothes is also a viable option. For nurses, the best option is to get scrub tops and pants. One particular shop that specializes in these items is keswi.com. They use high-quality materials for manufacturing while focusing on comfortability. 

If you’re an office employee with a work shift system, you can try decorating your desk. Examples of items that can bring comfort to office workers include: 

• Foot hammock  
• Armrest pads  
• Comfort mats  
• Cushion  
• Massager  
• Pillows 

Since each person has their own preferences, you can buy whatever you want, as long as it adds to your comfortability.

Prepare meals/snacks in advance 

As a shift-worker, eating a fulfilling meal seems to be impossible. Your coworkers will either rush you to finish your meal or will need you for something before you can even finish. 

Either way, you won’t have enough time to prepare and eat your meal. And that’s why you must prepare meals in advance before you go to work. The same goes for snacks. 

Since you’re most likely be working until nighttime, stores will start closing one by one. In other words, food becomes less accessible when nighttime comes. This also applies to morning shifts that start at an extremely early time. 

Hence, you have to prepare snacks as well, and to make the most out of your snacks; you might as well prepare ones that are beneficial for work like the following: 

• Fruits for energy 
• Nuts for staying awake 
• Chocolate and yogurt for concentration 

And let’s not forget one of the most important parts of one’s lifestyle.

Stay hydrated 

As always, you have to stay hydrated during your shift. Since most busy workers often forget to drink water, one must be reminded of this particular point. 

Also, for keeping hydration at a reasonable level, many busy workers nowadays can use IV therapy. People are finding practical solutions to prevent dehydration and boost their energy levels with IV therapy services in different locations, such as Drip IV San Bernardino or other similar providers. IV therapy offers a quick and efficient way to refill vital fluids and essential nutrients directly into the bloodstream, allowing individuals to stay hydrated and perform at their best

One way to always stay hydrated is to have a water bottle ready at your work area. Make sure it’s not empty and as much as possible, refill it every time you plan on passing through the water station. Your best bet is to have a water break scheduled on your phone. 

Take note that water is not the only resource for hydration. On that note, consider eating snacks that are hydrating, particularly fruits. 

While it’s not a bad habit, you should avoid drinking energy drinks or coffee as they actually contribute to dehydration. If you must, make sure you drink a lot of water to balance it out. 

You’ll find that drinking water makes your shift a lot more tolerable and less stressful. Speaking of stress, make sure you make the most out of your breaks with the following tips.

Exercise regularly 

Hydration and exercise come hand in hand. The lack of exercise can lead to a lot of problems. Even if you’re not overworking yourself, you can still feel rubbish, and it’s hard to get comfy. 

As such, you must exercise during your breaks or even during your shifts. For starters, use a bicycle to commute to work. Although this would drain you of some of your energy, it’ll help you get comfortable and stay awake during your shift. 

Other examples of exercises that aren’t too draining but still helps keep you awake are speed walking and stretching. You can also jog outside of the building during your breaks. It’s not too tiring, and you can enjoy the fresh air outside, which leads us to the next tip.

Take a walk 

Compared to the polluted air that you’ve been inhaling most of the time, getting fresh air is extremely helpful. Below are some of the benefits of getting fresh air: 

• Provide more energy and concentration  
• Improves blood pressure  
• Cleans lungs of the constant pollution  
• Strengthens immune system 

It only takes a while, and it’s relaxing to get out of a stressful workplace. And once you come back from your break, you’ll notice a more positive vibe around you.

Make the most out of your sleep 

If you’re not in the mood for a walk, then you can sleep or take a nap during your breaks. However, sleeping in a stressful environment is not that different from working. Simply put, you must make the most out of your sleep. Here are a few ways to do this: 

• Use comfortable sleeping items as mentioned above 
• Avoid drinking too much water before sleeping 
• Control your exposure to light 
• Expose yourself to light before sleeping 
• Go to a dark room when sleeping 
• Avoid caffeine intake 
• Avoid distractions such as smartphones 

After sleeping, you will gather enough energy to go through the day and perhaps regain the concentration that you lost along the way.

Treat yourself 

After work, you might want to call it a day and head home as soon as possible. No one can blame you, especially after all you’ve experienced. But that doesn’t mean you always have to do that after your shift. 

Sometimes, a date with yourself is all you need to energize yourself for the next day. You can do this in any way you want. After all, you’re the one who knows yourself most.

Follow a healthy lifestyle 

As a bonus tip, if you want to be comfortable during your shift, or on any occasion for that matter, then you might as well follow a healthy lifestyle. This will help you push through even the toughest workday. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

• Stay hydrated 
• Be hygienic 
• Watch what you eat 
• Avoid alcohol as much as possible 

Conclusion 

Regular workers with a 9-5 schedule are already struggling enough with their situation. Who knows what shift-workers are going through? 

Unfortunately, shift-workers don’t have a choice but to get through the day and move on to the next, but that doesn’t have to case. You can make this experience a lot more comfortable and easier by following the aforementioned tips.