• Sleep when your baby sleeps.
• Build up breast milk reserves by pumping between feedings, and ask a partner, friend, or family member to take over feedings when you sleep.

Shift Work

The term “shift work” can include evening, graveyard, or early morning shifts, as well as fixed or rotating schedules. Rotating schedules that change from one day to the next tend to be the worst for sleep. Flip-flopping your days and nights can take a toll on your health.

“Unregulated schedules are so hard that my best advice is to try to see if you can work a different schedule that better fits healthy sleep patterns,” says Djonlagic. If that’s just not possible, you can try to:

• Keep the same bedtime, wake time, and mealtimes every day of the week, even on your days off. This helps keep your internal clock set around your work schedule.
• Allow yourself enough time to wind down after work before trying to fall asleep. Don’t just come home and crash.
• Use ear plugs or white noise to help you fall asleep and stay asleep without interruption if you sleep during the day. You can also wear an eye mask and use blackout curtains.
• Stay ahead of your brain. “If your commute home happens as the sun is rising, consider wearing blue light-blocking glasses so your brain doesn’t think that you’re about to start a whole new day,” says Chisholm.
  

  Stress

  Stress turns on your fight-or-flight response, which isn’t restful at all. In fact, it prevents sleep.

  “From your body’s perspective, it’s like you’re trying to sleep while a saber-toothed tiger is lurking right outside your cave,” says Chisholm. She recommends these tips:

  • Create a relaxing sleep routine that you follow every night. Make sure the final steps in this routine involve a non-stimulating activity that you enjoy. “I often recommend those with insomnia read, listen to audiobooks or calming music, or practice relaxation techniques,” says Chisholm.
  • Avoid watching the news or discussing intense topics right before bed. Doing those things can keep your mind and body from feeling relaxed.
  • Exercise regularly, but make sure you finish at least a few hours before bedtime.
  • If you have a lot on your mind, write it down, at least an hour or so before bed, to help your brain “let it go” just for the rest of the night. You can always come back to your notes in the morning.
  • Consider seeking support from family, friends, or professionals to help you manage stress.

  “The most important thing to keep in mind is that if you already have chronic insomnia, don’t wait to get treatment — especially if you anticipate even more sleep disruptions,” says Chisholm. “Addressing chronic insomnia first can help you better cope when these common sleep disruptors occur.”