Coping with Shiftwork

 

 Caffeine!

 

As I write this, the effects of caffeine are beginning to ooze through my body.  Not very long ago, I was sound asleep, and although I am a habitual night person, I needed to get to work early on this and other projects.  So naturally, I turned to the “drug” of choice in this house – caffeine.  Yes, sweet caffeine.  And I’m convinced it makes my coffee taste better. 

 

Now let me explain why caffeine is not good for us.  Shiftworkers have been known to abuse caffeine.  In fact, I’ve known some  people on graveyard shifts who could consume a whole pot on a single shift, and I used to be one of them.

 

Caffeine is abundant in our society.  Not only is it contained in coffee, most of the available soft drinks contain it as well.  So if you’re a Diet Coke user, you’re consuming a lot of caffeine as well.  Caffeine is also relatively inexpensive, and let’s admit it – it works.  It enhances alertness, it increases your physical performance, and reaction times are sharpened.  I’ve even known runners who consume caffeine before a race, and they swear that it helps their performance.

 

The problem with caffeine is that it stays in the body for a long time.  If you get home after a night shift and you’ve consumed a pot of coffee, you’re not going to sleep for a long time.  You may have to wait eight hours before you’re body is ready to wind down.

 

Caffeine users also find that  the quality of the sleep that they do get is fairly poor.  They wake up often, and the overall duration is shorter than if they weren’t on the stuff.  Studies have shown that the duration of that “good quality” REM sleep is diminished as the amount of caffeine consumed prior to sleep increases.

 

Caffeine users also build up a tolerance for the substance.  The more they consume, the more they seem to need.  Scientific evidence supports that notion.  And the more a person consume, the more they report incidences of gastrointestinal problems. – the proverbial bellyache.  And we all know of the increased nervousness and irritability that caffeine can provide.

 

But it is possible to use caffeine intelligently.  Used in moderation and timed correctly, caffeine can be a great benefit to shiftworkers in order help them get through those drowsy working hours.  Go ahead and drink your coffee or sodas early in your night shift, and benefit from the boost.  If you stop ingesting caffeine four or five hours before the end of your shift, you should be able to perform adequately and still be ready for sleep when you get home.

 

Cutting back on your caffeine intake can be one of the best things you can do for yourself.  So if you decide to cut back or quit remember to do it slowly over time.  Otherwise, the withdrawal will give you headaches and increase your irrititability.  Substitute other non caffeinated drinks and keep track of your intake.  Before long, you will feel better.

 

I tried to eliminate caffeine completely and frankly was unsuccessful.  Without any caffeine at all, I felt listless and dopy (even more than usual).  But with moderate ingestion of caffeinated soda and coffee I’m able to function with greater energy and still sleep well.