When asked what word the thought of sleep brings to mind, Liza answered “wonderful”. For those without sleep issues, sleep is served on a silver ‘bed’. You’re tired, you go to bed. When your life enables you to sleep in your own environment and bed consistently, every night, soundly – “you are blessed. But not…
“When I started working different shifts, I quickly realized that it’s hard and overwhelming. It takes a big toll on your life. It’s hard to maintain a work-life balance along with the sleep issues caused by shift work. And that sucks.” SLEEP, ANXIETY, AND TRANSITION SHOCK Fresh out of nursing school, Norah [name changed] was…
We often hear that ‘sleep is the best medicine’, yet for many, getting enough rest is an uphill battle. Healthcare workers, caregivers, and shift workers face an unrelenting cycle of disrupted rest, forced to navigate exhaustion while performing critical duties. Whether it is juggling unpredictable night shifts, balancing professional and personal responsibilities, or simply trying…
“A life with night shift work and lack of sleep is like a marathon that we impose on ourselves to try to reconcile family life, work, and leisure, but which has immediate and long-term consequences on the mind and body.” – Julie, a night shift nurse “I stopped sleeping to take care of my son…
“Most people want day shifts, but not me. People have a hard time sleeping during the day, but I never had a problem. I can sleep anytime. 4-5 hours of sleep is enough for me. Night shift is just convenient for me.” – Donald, an ICU nurse. Adulting is difficult. For me, the hardest part…
“We expect night shift workers to continue to be fathers, mothers, daughters, wives and, sometimes, come home and take care of their older or sick parents and still perform their 105%.” – Beniamin, a nurse clinician Red eyes, irritability and impatience – these are the glaring signs of the participants who spend a night without sleep…
