If You Can't Sleep at Night — Night Shift 3/2

In my previous blog post I wrote that when a night of sleep is missed for some reason, it's important to rest up beforehand for the night. I discussed how to do that in the previous post; in this one I'll talk about what we can do during the night so we don't feel sleepy.

What to expect, even if you did rest beforehand for the night

Even if you manage to rest in advance of an expected night shift, you will still feel sleepy around your usual bedtime. This physiological “sleepiness wave” is part of our circadian rhythm and typically hits hardest around the time you normally go to bed.

The most important basic rule here: don't suppress this sleepiness. If we automatically shake off fatigue with strong stimulants, flashing lights, or vigorous activity, we risk confusing our circadian rhythm and that will harm our later performance.

Live through the sleep period

Concrete suggestion: when strong sleepiness appears, keep yourself only at a lower level of alertness for about one and a half hours (roughly 90 minutes). That matches the length of a sleep cycle. The goal then is not to maintain a high level of alertness, but to ride out the wave without actively suppressing it.

What does this mean in practice?

• Slow the pace: reduce intense stimuli, and don't start tackling the hardest tasks immediately.

• Use a bright-but-not-jarring environment: avoid harsh, blinding lights, but stay alert enough to perform your tasks safely.

• Allow yourself short, passive rests (for example, briefly closing your eyes, slow breathing, seated relaxation) if the work conditions permit.

That 1.5-hour period is when the body most strongly “fights” its natural rhythm. If you get through it, your body will adapt better to continued wakefulness.

After the 90 minutes, you can increase alertness

Once the 90-minute wave has passed, conscious measures to boost alertness are acceptable:

Caffeine: sensible, targeted use timed to when you need peak alertness. Avoid excessive amounts and don't use caffeine to completely suppress the need for sleep.

Nootropics: often mentioned as wakefulness aids; they can increase alertness and performance. Be cautious: effects vary widely and some substances can affect blood pressure or heart rate.

Dietary supplements: not technically nootropics, but supplements such as iron (iron tablets) or a B-vitamin complex can help reduce fatigue. Nutritional approaches are broad: slowly absorbed carbohydrates, small amounts of protein, electrolyte replacement, etc.

You can read more tips and tricks for better wakefulness and more effective sleep in my books! Read them!

Watch your body’s signals, especially blood pressure

Keep in mind that stimulants and some nootropics can affect blood pressure and heart rhythm. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or other chronic conditions, always consult a doctor before using stronger substances (high-dose caffeine, nootropics, strong stimulants).

In practice:

• Watch for palpitations, dizziness, excessive sweating, or other uncomfortable symptoms.

• If possible, check your blood pressure from time to time (especially if you've taken strong stimulants).

• If you need rest, take a short break: sometimes a 10–20 minute quiet nap (a power nap) is worth more than taking additional stimulants.

Summary, practical steps

If you rested beforehand for the night: expect strong sleepiness around your usual bedtime.

Don't suppress that sleepiness; live through the 1.5-hour wave: slow down, rest passively, and avoid overstimulation.

After 90 minutes you can deliberately increase alertness with caffeine, nootropics, and supplements, but always in moderation and with caution.

Watch your body’s signals, especially blood pressure and heart rate; if you need rest, take a short break instead of only stimulating yourself.

In the next part I'll cover what to do after a night shift. I'll reveal this much: the situation is more complicated than just sleeping a lot.