Insomnia ¦ Trouble Sleeping: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Remedies for Kids and Adults (I work in shifts)

If you can't seem to sleep through the night and achieve recommended 8 hours of sleep and you are not sure how to stop insomnia, you might want to consider switching to alternative sleeping schedule.

Sleeping 8 hours per day in one block is called monophasic sleep pattern. It is natural and easy to maintain. You can pick when to go to bed and when to wake up. But, some people might not be suited for this kind of sleep pattern and could thrive on a biphasic sleep schedule.

Biphasic sleep pattern is common in Mediterranean countries and Latin America. It includes 4-6 hours of "core" sleep per night and one afternoon nap that usually lasts 30-90 minutes, or more if needed. Some studies show that, for some people, biphasic sleep pattern could lead to higher quality sleep, improved mood, work efficiency, and other health benefits. 

Biphasic sleep pattern could be a better option if you cannot stay asleep the whole night, suffer from a substantial dip in alertness during the day, have a work schedule or other obligations that prevent you from sleeping 8 hours straight.

Can depression cause insomnia? Possibly, it can. If it does, to fight against insomnia, you need to win the fight against depression, first. St. John's Wort is a plant that works as an antidepressant and as such can relieve your anxiety and help you sleep better. You can order St. John's wort pills at Amazon.

Always check with your doctor if you are trying any herbal remedy.

There are glasses specifically designed to block blue light that can cause you sleep problems. It is emitted by most electronics (computers, TVs, cellphones, even certain lightbulbs).

If you are spending all day or all night (or both) on a computer, consider wearing blue light blocking sunglasses to protect your eyes and increase the chance of a good night sleep.

If you work night shifts, that means lots of sleeping during daytime. It also means that your sleep could be interrupted by friends coming by, doorbells ringing, neighbors asking for a cup of sugar, etc.

To minimize sleep disturbance, inform your neighbors, friends and relatives of your sleep schedule. Let them know at what days you don't want to be disturbed. Ask your household members to try to be as quiet as possible while you are asleep.

I know it's hard to work all night without a few cups of coffee, but if you plan to sleep as soon as you get home from work, consider not drinking coffee (or anything else that has a high amount of caffeine) couple of hours before your shift is over. That way, most of the caffeine will get out of your system and allow you to fall asleep easier.

Sometimes, after a night shift, especially if you had lots of caffeine, you might not feel like sleeping right away and go to bed 3-4 hours after your shift is done. Or even later. Avoid that.

Always try to go to bed immediately after you come home from a night shift. Going to bed always at the same time will keep your sleep-wake cycle regular and increase the quality of your sleep. That way, you will still have some daytime left when you wake up and will be more productive when carrying out your everyday activities, than you would be at doing something right after a night shift.

Alcohol may help you to fall asleep, however, it can disrupt your sleep cycles and make you restless at night. You don't have to completely abstain from alcohol, just don't drink it after 6 PM.

Even couple of beers late at night can cause you problems due to multiple visits to bathroom and dehydration that forces you to get up and have a glass of water in the middle of the night.