Learning how to sleep during the day after a night shift is less about one perfect trick and more about protecting a few hours that the rest of the world uses for something else. This guide walks through the morning in order, from clocking out to getting up for your next shift, so you can see where small changes might help.
A quick note on why it feels so hard: your internal clock, or circadian rhythm, follows a roughly 24-hour cycle that responds mainly to light and dark, according to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The Cleveland Clinic explains that night workers often try to sleep during daylight, when the body’s signals to stay awake are strongest, so daytime sleep tends to be shorter and more easily broken. That friction is common, not a personal failing.
Before you leave work: set up the drive home
The trip home is the first part of daytime sleep, and it’s also where the biggest safety risk sits. A few things to think about in the last hour of your shift:
- Taper caffeine. Cleveland Clinic suggests moderate caffeine to stay alert at work, stopping in the later part of your shift so it doesn’t interfere when it’s time for bed. The Sleep Foundation suggests avoiding caffeine within three to four hours of your planned sleep time.
- Pack sunglasses. Morning sunlight is a strong “wake up” signal. Cleveland Clinic recommends avoiding morning sunlight if you need to sleep during the day, and wearing sunglasses for the drive home or any time you have to go outside.
- Check honestly how alert you are. If you’re too sleepy to drive, Cleveland Clinic advises taking a short nap first or finding another way home. The Sleep Foundation adds that if you start to feel drowsy at the wheel, you should pull over somewhere safe and rest.
That last point matters more than any bedroom tip. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy drivers were involved in 91,000 police-reported crashes in 2017, likely an undercount, and says getting enough sleep is the only true protection. If drowsy commutes are a regular part of your week, raise it with your employer or a health professional.
The first 30 minutes at home: a short landing routine
It’s tempting to get home and start on the jobs that piled up: dishes, mail, messages. Instead, try a short landing routine you can repeat on autopilot. One example:
- Put your bag, keys and badge in the same spot every time so you aren’t hunting for them tonight.
- If you’re hungry, have something small rather than going to bed hungry.
- Take a warm shower or wash up. The Sleep Foundation lists a hot shower or bath, or another relaxing activity, as an option before bed.
- Do one calm, low-light activity, such as reading a few pages or listening to something quiet, then go to bed.
Skip alcohol as a way to “come down” from the shift. The Sleep Foundation notes that although alcohol can make you fall asleep faster, sleep can become disturbed and fragmented as your body processes it. Our three-step wind-down routine has more ideas for keeping this part of the morning simple.
The bedroom: make “day” look like night
The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends a sleep environment that is very dark, quiet, cool and comfortable, whatever time of day you sleep. It gives detailed, inexpensive suggestions for the darkness part:
| Problem | What NIOSH suggests |
|---|---|
| Light through windows | Room-darkening shades or heavy, lined curtains. Blinds often let too much light in. |
| Light around edges and under doors | Adjust coverings to block gaps; turn off hall lights or use a draft stopper under the door. |
| Glowing screens and clocks | Remove or cover sources of white or blue light, such as a lit clock, phone or TV. |
| Still too bright | An eye mask, kept on for the whole sleep period. |
| Bathroom trips | Keep the path dark and clear of obstacles; a dim red night light can help you see. |
For sound, the Sleep Foundation suggests earplugs or a white noise machine and turning your phone off unless you’re on call. If others depend on reaching you, let a few contacts through rather than silencing everything.
The people you live with: agree on a “sleep window”
The Sleep Foundation recommends making sure partners, children and roommates understand your designated sleep time. Specifics help:
- Put your sleep hours somewhere everyone can see them, such as a whiteboard or shared calendar, especially if your rota changes week to week.
- Agree on which jobs can wait until you’re up (vacuuming, the washing machine, deliveries that need a signature).
- Choose one signal that means “I’m asleep unless it’s urgent,” like a closed door or a sign. Agree together on what counts as urgent.
Choosing your sleep schedule
There isn’t one schedule that suits every night worker. The Sleep Foundation describes two common patterns:
- Sleep soon after you get home and wake in the afternoon.
- Split sleep. You nap for a few hours after getting home, then sleep longer in the hours before your next shift. Some people also prefer to stay up a few hours first so they wake closer to their start time.
Whichever you choose, aim to keep it consistent. The Sleep Foundation says sleep consistency is key for many night workers, ideally including days off, while acknowledging that this is hard. Cleveland Clinic also notes that most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a day and that shift workers often get one to four hours less than people who work days, so plan the window around the total you need, not just what’s left after errands.
If you have any say over your rota, Cleveland Clinic suggests limiting night shifts to five or fewer in a row with days off in between, or four in a row for 12-hour shifts.
Waking up and the hours before your next shift
Cleveland Clinic notes that a planned nap before or during a night shift can improve alertness. The Sleep Foundation describes 10 to 20 minutes as an ideal nap length on a break, because it’s short enough to avoid waking up groggy.
For a couple of weeks, jot down when you slept and what got in the way. Our seven-day sleep diary makes this easy and gives you notes to bring to an appointment.
When it might be more than an adjustment period
Cleveland Clinic describes shift work sleep disorder as a circadian rhythm sleep disorder that can cause trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep and sleepiness at unwanted times. It suggests talking to a healthcare provider if, after several weeks, you still have trouble sleeping or feel tired after seven to eight hours of sleep. Also talk to a provider if you snore loudly, feel dangerously drowsy at work or on the road, or are thinking about melatonin or other sleep aids. Both Cleveland Clinic and the Sleep Foundation advise checking with a doctor before taking melatonin, because it can affect your sleep-wake timing. Our doctor appointment question list can help you prepare.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours should I sleep after a night shift?
Most adults need seven or more hours in a 24-hour period, and Cleveland Clinic suggests seven to nine. It doesn’t have to come in one block: a main sleep plus a nap before your shift can count toward the total.
Should I nap before a night shift?
If you can, a planned nap before or during a night shift can improve alertness, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Is it OK to use melatonin to sleep during the day?
Some shift workers do, but the Sleep Foundation and Cleveland Clinic both recommend talking to a doctor first, because melatonin can affect your body clock and may not suit everyone.
Sources
- CDC/NIOSH: Create a Good Sleep Environment (Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours, Module 6)
- Cleveland Clinic: Shift Work Sleep Disorder
- Sleep Foundation: Tips for Sleeping and Staying Awake During Shift Work
- NHTSA: Drowsy Driving
- NIH/NIGMS: Circadian Rhythms