When your alarm goes off at 4 p.m. and you’re pouring cereal in broad daylight, it’s clear you’re not living the standard 9-to-5 lifestyle. Whether you work nights, early mornings, or rotating shifts, shift work can leave you feeling out of sync, affecting your mental health, physical health, sleep, and relationships.
At Walmsley Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), we know that with the right coping strategies, you can thrive on any schedule. Login to the Walmsley EFAP Wellness Library to explore more resources and supports designed to help you build balance and resilience.
Prioritize Sleep
Good sleep is the foundation of well-being, but it’s often the hardest to protect for shift workers. Daytime noise, light, and social demands can make sleep feel elusive.
Make sleep non-negotiable. Build a wind-down routine—perhaps a warm shower, soft lighting, or calming music. Use blackout curtains and a white noise machine to create a dark, quiet environment that promotes rest, even during the day.
Try to maintain consistent sleep and wake times, even on days off. Let family and friends know your schedule so they can help protect your rest time—it’s not selfish, it’s essential.
Eat Well on an Unusual Schedule
When your body clock is flipped, your eating habits can be too. Many shift workers reach for sugary or salty snacks to stay awake or skip meals altogether.
Plan ahead with light, balanced meals featuring protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Avoid heavy meals near bedtime, and keep nutritious snacks like fruit, yogurt, or trail mix on hand.
Watch your caffeine intake—while it might help you get through a shift, too much (especially late in your shift) can sabotage your sleep.
Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind
Shift work can drain you physically and mentally, but gentle movement and mindfulness can help restore your energy. Even a short walk before or after your shift, some light stretching, or a 10-minute breathing meditation can improve your mood and help you transition in or out of work mode.
For mindfulness ideas, login to the Walmsley EFAP Wellness Library or explore external mindfulness resources like Mindful.org.
Incorporating small moments of calm, like journaling or deep breathing during breaks, can reset your nervous system and improve focus.
Protect Your Relationships and Energy
One of the most complex parts of shift work is feeling disconnected from loved ones. But with intention, you can stay close even when schedules don’t match.
Communicate your schedule and create small connection rituals, like a shared meal, a quick check-in call, or a note left on the fridge. And remember: it’s okay to set boundaries around your rest time.
Taking care of yourself ensures you can show up fully with others.
One Step at a Time
Shift work has unique challenges, but it also builds resilience, flexibility, and strength. You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: upgrade your sleep environment, prep snacks in advance, or stretch after your shift.
Your wellness matters, no matter what hours you work. Walmsley EFAP counsellors are here to help if you struggle to find balance. Reach out—we’re just a phone call away.
Jeremy Biffert, MEd, RCC