Key worker guide
Good night, at 9am
For everyone who works while the rest of us sleep: how to make your bedroom work in daylight.
Sleeping when the sun is up, the bins are being collected and the neighbours are mowing the lawn is hard. For the nurses, carers, drivers, police officers and factory teams who keep the country running overnight, a good daytime sleep is not a luxury. It is part of the job.
The Health and Safety Executive has practical advice for shift workers. Much of it comes down to one thing: making your bedroom feel like night, whatever the time.
In short
- Make the room dark with blackout blinds, heavy curtains or an eye mask.
- Cut noise with earplugs or white noise, and let your household know when you are sleeping.
- Keep the bedroom cool, and wind down before bed.
- Avoid caffeine before sleep, and do not rely on alcohol to help you drop off.
What the HSE recommends
Block the daylight
Heavy curtains, blackout blinds or an eye shade help your body treat daytime as night.
Keep the noise out
Earplugs or white noise can mask daytime sounds. Ask your household to keep things quiet while you sleep.
Keep the room cool
A cooler bedroom helps you sleep. Avoid strenuous exercise just before bed, as it raises your body temperature.
Caffeine and alcohol before bed
The HSE notes caffeine can stop you falling asleep, and alcohol, while it may help you drop off, leads to broken, poorer sleep.
Make it feel like midnight, whatever the clock says.
Setting up your bed for daytime sleep
Choose breathable bedding
Daytime bedrooms are often warmer. Breathable sheets, such as our Ackly Bamboo bamboo and cotton sateen, help you stay comfortable.
Go darker on colour
Deep tones such as charcoal and midnight make a room feel calmer and more like evening, even with light around the edges of the blinds.
Keep a pre-sleep routine
The HSE suggests winding down with something relaxing, such as reading or a warm bath, before you sleep.
Make the bed before your shift
Coming home to a freshly made bed, ready to slip into, takes one more job off a tired mind.
Driving home after a night shift? The HSE advises considering alternatives to driving when you are very tired, and, if you must drive, taking a short nap first if it is safe to do so.
Sheet Story has long supported key workers. Read more in our key worker support news.
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Rest that fits your rota
Ackly Bamboo in charcoal and royal green, and Ella Cotton in midnight: calm, deep colours for daytime sleep. Free UK delivery on orders over £80.
Shop Ackly Bamboo →Questions we are often asked
How can I sleep better during the day after a night shift?
Make your bedroom dark, quiet and cool, keep a consistent wind-down routine, and avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed, as the HSE advises.
Do blackout blinds really help?
Yes. The HSE recommends heavy curtains, blackout blinds or eye shades to block daylight.
Should I have a drink to help me sleep after a shift?
The HSE advises against it. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it is linked to earlier waking and poorer-quality sleep.
What bedding is best for daytime sleep?
Breathable natural-fibre bedding helps in warmer daytime rooms, and deeper colours can make the room feel calmer.
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