夜班 倒班 轮班 睡眠 | night shift worker sleep calculator
Night Shift Sleep Planner
Enter your shift times and get a personal plan: when to sleep, when to nap, when to stop caffeine, and how to use light so your body clock survives the night.
When is your shift?
💡 Light rules for night workers
- On the way to work: seek bright light — it tells your brain "daytime" and boosts alertness on shift.
- On the way home: wear dark sunglasses. Morning sunlight tells your brain to wake up, which is exactly what you don't want before your daytime sleep.
- At home: blackout curtains, eye mask, phone on silent. Make your bedroom feel like night, whatever the clock says.
- Keep an anchor sleep block: go to bed at the same time after every shift — even on days off, keep at least 4 hours of it identical so your rhythm doesn't fully flip.
Why night shift wrecks sleep — and how planning helps
Your body clock runs on light: it schedules alertness for daytime and sleep for night, no matter what your work rota says. Working nights forces you to sleep against that signal, which is why shift workers sleep 1–4 hours shorter in the day and report more broken sleep. You cannot fully flip your clock on a rotating schedule, but you can defend a consistent sleep window, use strategic naps, block morning light on the commute home, and time caffeine so it doesn't eat into your main sleep. Studies of shift workers show that stable sleep schedules plus light management meaningfully improve both sleep length and alertness on shift.
📖 Related reading: Night Shift Survival Guide · How Your Circadian Rhythm Works · Melatonin and Sleep
Frequently asked questions
How long should I sleep after a night shift?
Aim for a 7–9 hour main block starting within an hour of getting home. If daytime noise wakes you, a split schedule also works: a solid 3.5–4.5 hour core sleep right after the shift, plus a 60–90 minute nap before your next shift starts.
Should I nap before my shift?
Yes — a 20–30 minute nap 1–3 hours before the shift starts is one of the best-studied countermeasures for night-shift sleepiness. Use our nap calculator to pick the exact wake-up time.
When should I stop caffeine on nights?
Treat your post-shift daytime sleep like everyone else's night: no caffeine in the last 6 hours before it. On shift, front-load coffee into the first half — late-shift caffeine is the most common self-inflicted cause of short daytime sleep. Our caffeine calculator can time it for you.
Do melatonin supplements help night workers?
Low-dose melatonin taken before daytime sleep can modestly improve sleep length in shift workers. It is a hormone, not a sedative — timing matters more than dose, so read our melatonin guide and check with a doctor first.
Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you have ongoing sleep problems, please consult a healthcare professional.
References
- Akerstedt, T., & Wright, K. P. (2009). Sleep loss and fatigue in shift work and shift work disorder. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 4(2), 257–271.
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2020). Work Schedules: Shift Work and Long Hours. cdc.gov/niosh.