As a sleep deprived shift worker it can be an uphill battle to achieve a perfect night’s sleep. Actually near impossible for many people which is why the Dracula hormone or as it’s more commonly known, Melatonin – can be your best friend.

Why is it called the Dracula hormone?

Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by our bodies and is sometimes referred to as the ‘Dracula of hormone’ as it only ‘comes out’ when it’s dark.

After tucking yourself into a comfy bed and turning out the lights, your pineal gland starts producing melatonin which then goes about inducing sleepiness. It quite literally puts you to sleep.

So while you’re sleeping, melatonin is responsible for restoring a lot of the physical energy that you used up during the day.

In essence, this makes melatonin a shift worker’s best friend.

The trouble for many shift workers however is they have to sleep during the day which can be very difficult when the sunlight is shimmering in your bedroom. Bright light actually inhibits the release of melatonin and thereby makes it very difficult to fall asleep.

Which is why blocking out your bedroom from sunlight and other bright lights is essential for any shift worker trying to catch up on some lost sleep or after night shift.

Even the light from your digital alarm clock or small rays of sunlight sneaking through the edges of your drapes can keep you awake.

So my 3 Essential Tips for Reducing Night Shift Fatigue include:

1. Block out your bedroom completely – ideally with something like Bedroom Blackout Blinds as they seal off the edges of windows eliminating any light from sneaking through.

2. Buy yourself a comfortable eye mask.

3. Turn off the clock radio, unplug and switch off the home phone as well as your mobile. But before you do, send out a ‘Do Not Disturb Shift Worker Sleeping’ text to all of your friends and family so they know to leave you alone.

Night shift fatigue is certainly something that you’re never going to be able to eliminate completely – particularly if you work a lot of night shifts. But just by following these 3 simple tips, it should help you to feel somewhat ‘normal’ – particularly when you’re able to secure a few hours of good quality, uninterrupted sleep.

If you’re shift worker who suffers from sleep deprivation then I certainly feel for you. Because not only is sleep deprivation incredibly hard to manage but it can also leave you feeling tired, unmotivated and physically exhausted.

But what if you suffer from sleep deprivation because you work shift work, and you suffer from headaches as well?

It’s kind of like a double whammy isn’t it?

Well I must admit that I’ve always been fairly lucky – rarely suffering from headaches despite many years of sleep deprivation. However all that changed last week when I drove my Subaru Impreza home from work and became involved in a car accident.

It was a case of the Subaru crossing paths with an Audi – which was never going to be pretty.

I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a young driver decided to drive down a one-way street – the wrong way! As he ploughed right in front of my path I had just seconds to react and slam on the breaks to avoid impact – unfortunately without success. But we can be grateful as we both managed to walk away fairly unscathed apart from minor burns to my arms, and the odd scratch and jolt to our neck and shoulders.

Alas I can’t same the same for my beloved ‘Suby Subaru’. Between the air bags going off and the damage to the front of the car – Suby had to be written off by my insurers.

So you might well be asking – what has this got to do with sleep deprivation and headaches, and why am I sharing this story with you? Well it’s not to feel sorry for me or my car (although you can if you like), but as someone who rarely suffers from headaches – I had the unfortunate pleasure of experiencing the double whammy.

That is, sleep deprivation AND headaches both at the same time which left me utterly shattered.

My head was left spinning and replaying the events that happened just a few hours earlier, leaving me with little sleep that night.

And this really got me thinking. How do people who suffer from sleep deprivation manage to get sleep when they are enduring a painful headache as well?

Try these 4 simple steps:

1. Drink a large Glass of Water. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of headaches so a glass of pure fresh spring water should help relieve some of the pain.

2. Massage. Massages help relieve any stress and tension – particularly when applied to your head, along with your face and neck because it helps eradicate headache pain.

3. Aromatherapy. This really does work. Sandalwood, peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and a wide assortment of other natural oils can be used to reduce, if not completely eliminate pain. These scents can be found in oils, candles, and even soaps.

4. Take a Hot Shower. Stand in the shower and allow the hot water to cascade down your neck and back. This should loosen your muscles and allow for better blood flow which will certainly help reduce the pain.

5. Rest. Sometimes a headache is just your body telling you that you’re overworked and way too stressed. Give yourself permission to lie down in a dark room, shut your eyes, and just relax for awhile.

So the next time you’re experiencing sleep deprivation and headaches, try one of the simple and easy tips that I’ve just mentioned above. The good news is that when you begin to eliminate the pain, your chances of having a good night’s sleep should vastly improve – and that has got to be really good news if you work shift work!