If you have recently taken a night shift warehouse job at Amazon you might get overwhelmed by the sudden shift in your sleeping schedule.
Working at night and sleeping during the day will naturally upset your circadian rhythm.
You can make your Amazon night-shift job more tolerable or even pleasant by following a few simple steps.
1. Use blackout curtains and eye masks for sleeping
As a night-shift worker, getting adequate sleep during the day is important if you want to have enough energy and focus during your shift.
However, the sun’s bright rays can make it difficult to wind down and relax. This is because your body interprets sunlight as a signal that you should be awake.
Luckily you can use blackout curtains, which are great for completely blocking out sunlight.
You can hang them up in your room to trick your body into thinking it’s night-time and prevent sunlight from keeping you up.
Eye masks are a cheaper alternative to blackout curtains. They are relaxing and a must-have for a good night’s sleep. However, they can be hard to get used to if you have never used them before.
You can find soft and comfortable eye masks that won’t add any pressure to your eyes on Amazon.
2. Try to go to sleep as soon as you get home
Discipline is one of the most critical parts of getting your night-shift schedule to work. Therefore, even if you feel awake when you arrive home, you must force yourself to turn off the lights, put your phone away and go to bed.
If you do not try to sleep immediately, your body will revert to its regular day schedule, and you will not feel sleepy until you have to work, by which time you will have been up for many hours.
3. Meal prep on your days off
The last thing you want to do after a long night of working is prepare yourself a meal. This is why preparing a meal beforehand is essential. Here are a few tips on how to pull this off without too much hassle:
Pre-cook and freeze meat
An excellent way to make meal-prep faster after a long night at work is to pre-cook the meat and then freeze it in individual bags.
With pre-cooked meat, you can have a fresh meal without the hassle of dealing with raw meat, e.g., thawing it.
Soup
Soup is a popular and healthy comfort meal for many people.
It is straightforward to prepare a large amount, portion it into small meals, and be set for a week! You can also freeze soup so it stays fresh for longer.
See: The Lost Super Foods
Box dinners
If you don’t like cooking, box dinners are the easiest way to eat a home-cooked meal without the effort of planning everything yourself. Box dinners also have the advantage of being affordable, so you can stay within budget.
I know that box dinners have a reputation for being unhealthy, however, many stores also offer healthy box dinners today.
4. Keep some snacks in your car for breaks
Snacks are an excellent way to keep yourself awake and energetic when you are feeling sleepy and having trouble staying focused.
You can stash healthy snacks like nuts, dried fruits and spinach and artichoke dips to munch on during your breaks.
Also, if you want a more nutritious snack, fruits and multi-grain breads will sustain your brain and body for hours on end.
5. Take melatonin to help you sleep
Melatonin is a hormone in the body that regulates your sleep-wake cycle.
Taking melatonin supplements will help your body regulate your circadian rhythm according to your new schedule.
Furthermore, melatonin is not addictive, so you should be able to wean yourself off it immediately when you no longer need it.
6. Take advantage of the free coffee
Caffeine is a great way to combat tiredness and keep your mind alert during your night shift.
Most Amazon warehouse break rooms have free coffee that you can take full advantage of during your breaks.
However, it’s recommended to drink coffee early in your shift and then stop drinking it for a few hours before the end of work because you risk not feeling sleepy when it’s time to head home.
7. Schedule any important appointments on your off days
You might think it’s possible to work for an entire night, sleep for a few hours, and then be good to go to appointments with your doctor, dentist, etc.
However, unless you are a superhero, you’re probably mistaken. Amazon warehouse jobs are notoriously exhausting so you might not have the energy to go for an appointment when you have work later in the day.
It is best to schedule all necessary appointments for the days you do not work. You will not feel anxious about missing your alarm and not showing up, and you’ll be more clear headed on the day of.
8. Take vitamin D supplements
Most of your body’s vitamin D intake comes from direct contact with sunlight. Therefore, as a night worker, you can easily become susceptible to vitamin D deficiency.
And since vitamin D is not naturally present in many foods, the next best alternative is to take vitamin D supplements every few days. This will keep your body energized and strong.
9. Remember – it gets easier with time
Working a night shift is no easy feat, especially if you are a novice. Your body may rebel against your new schedule for a week or two. However, it will eventually throw in the towel and learn to adjust.
The body can be trained to do almost anything, however, you also need to train your mindset.
Try to see the good in your new situation and trust that you will triumph.
