somnio and shift work

In this article, you will learn how shift work affects sleep and how you can use somnio meaningfully despite changing working hours.

How can shift work affect sleep?
Shift work presents a special challenge for sleep for many people. In Europe, about one in seven people works in a shift system. Night shifts and rotating shifts in particular can significantly impair the natural sleep-wake rhythm and lead to sleep problems in the long term. Human sleep is controlled by the so-called internal clock, which is oriented, among other things, to daylight. Anyone who works at night and is supposed to sleep during the day therefore often lives against this natural rhythm. At night, daylight as a natural wake-up stimulus is missing; during the day, brightness makes it harder to fall asleep. As a result, many shift workers report difficulty falling asleep and sleeping through the night, reduced total sleep time, and pronounced daytime sleepiness. 

Which shift models are easier or harder to tolerate?
How strongly shift work affects sleep depends, among other things, on the type of shifts, their length, and the frequency of shift changes. As a general rule: the less often the sleep pattern has to change, the better the body can adapt. If rotating shifts cannot be avoided, a change from early to late and then to night shifts is often easier to tolerate than frequent or backward rotations. In this way, sleep onset shifts later each time, which corresponds more closely to the natural buildup of sleep pressure than a change in the opposite direction. With longer shifts, especially twelve-hour shifts, sufficient recovery is particularly important. Ideally, at least one day off should follow such shifts so that the body has time to regenerate.

Practical tips for sleep during shift work
If you work at night, good lighting during the shift can help reduce sleepiness and maintain performance. After work, it is important to darken the bedroom as much as possible and minimize sources of noise so that sleep during the day is made easier. Before night shifts, it can be helpful to prepare sleep deliberately. Some people benefit from a longer nap of up to three hours before the start of the night shift. If there is no time for that, a short power nap of about twenty minutes can also help reduce sleepiness and improve ability to focus during work.

How can you use somnio with shift work?
somnio was developed to treat chronic insomnia and digitally implements cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Shift work, especially rotating shifts, can make it harder to implement certain techniques such as sticking to a fixed sleep window. If you work shifts and cannot always follow your sleep window, that is okay. In that case, we recommend keeping the length of the sleep window the same and only adjusting the start and end times to your work rhythm. These adjustments do not necessarily have to be made in the program. It is enough if you note them for yourself or record them in the "Personal Note" of your sleep journal. It is important that you always enter in the journal how your sleep actually took place.

Realistic expectations and relief
The following also applies to shift work: It is important to stay realistic and not put yourself under additional pressure. Not every technique can always be fully implemented during shift work, and that is okay. somnio is intended to support you, not burden you further.

When should you seek medical advice?
If you remain persistently very tired despite adjustments, have problems with ability to focus, or feel unsure, you should seek medical advice. somnio does not replace medical evaluation, but it can be a useful addition in dealing with sleep problems during shift work.

Any questions?
If you have questions about the somnio app – both regarding content and technical issues – you can contact our support team at any time. You can reach us by email at support@somn.io or directly via the support feature in the app. We respond within 24 hours, seven days a week. You can reach us by phone Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 14:00 on 0341 978 528 48, excluding public holidays.