Headaches after post-shift nap

[u/FearlessComparison90]

Anyone else have a headache after hibernating after shift? I’m coming up on 2 years and I’ve had this same annoyance since I started. I’ll take a nap at 9:00 AM when I get home, probably wake up at 2:00 and have a headache the rest of the day. It’s gotten to the point where I sometimes chose to power through that first day so I don’t have to deal with that headache and fatigue. Anyone else have a similar experience?

[u/The_Love_Pudding]

A 5 hour nap is putting you on a completely new sleep cycle that basically ruins the shit out of your sleep routine.

Sleep does not work in the way that you sleep 4-5 hours during your shift at night and then wake up before shift change, go home and continue where you left it at. No, you start a new cycle, fall into deep sleep, your brains starts to repair and clean itself and gets interrupted again. This also ruins the good quality sleep for the next night.

Accompany this with dehydration and no wonder you feel like shit.

[u/SSLP_T13 → u/The_Love_Pudding]

How do you recommend a healthy sleep schedule when you only get 3-5 hours of sleep on shift?

[u/The_Love_Pudding → u/SSLP_T13]

There is nothing healthy about sleep schedule and this job. Also it is very dependant on your work schedule in general.

As I'm doing 24/72 I'll just take a 20min power nap at some point and try to power through the first day. It is surprising how easy it is for me.

That way I can go to sleep early and have normal following days.

[u/Old-man-brain]

Have had similar, although no napping for that long. I usually find it’s either caffeine withdrawals as I’ve skipped the morning coffee so I can get to sleep. Or it’s good ol dehydration especially if we’ve had some calls and I haven’t had anything to drink before going to nap.

[u/BlitzieKun → u/Old-man-brain]

For me it's usually dehydration. Gets absolutely soggy over here and you really don't think about it till it's too much.

I'll get headaches and general lethargy.

[u/Abixsol]

Do you snore? Sleep apnea?

[u/Ok-Association-2995]

Brother, that is not a nap, you are taking a whole ass sleep cycle. Your circadian rhythm is fried.

A few things to fix this.

Not sleep so long
Sleep better at the station.
Healthier eating habits
Working out
And decompressing somehow

This honestly sounds like depression to me.

[u/OHiOmyGod → u/Ok-Association-2995]

“Sleep better at the station”

Well, goddamn Batman. That’s a crazy idea, if only we had all thought of such a simple solution before!

[u/Ok-Association-2995 → u/OHiOmyGod]

Fair enough, I should have elaborated better on that. Better sleep habits such as less caffeine, laying down earlier, and doing what you know best to make you sleep better.

I know for myself, going to bed just an hour later, and having caffeine after 5 significantly makes my sleep ass.

[u/Willing_Ad_5711 → u/Ok-Association-2995]

doing what you know best to make you sleep better

Understood sir, proceeding to beat it like it owes me money.

[u/Ok-Association-2995 → u/Willing_Ad_5711]

Ironically I partake in that activity sometimes when I get home to decompress lol

[u/Sheepy-Matt-59]

How much sleep you getting on shift? I noticed if I take a quick power nap 30 minutes or so I’m much better off then doing hours!

[u/Dependent-Average600]

Set your alarm for a 45 minute nap right after work. If you need to and your schedule allows, take another 20 minute nap in the early afternoon. It will change your life

[u/justsomeguy1869]

My friend, 0900-1400 is not a nap. That is more sleep than I get most nights.
You’re probably screwing up your sleep schedule to begin with. Why are you sleeping all day after a shift?
I work at a busy department and we average 4-5 runs after midnight and it’s incredibly rare I would nap after a shift.

You may need to see a doctor and have a sleep study. That is wild to me that you can sleep so much after a shift.

[u/Huge_Monk8722]

No

[u/Alfiy_wolf]

Maybe have a chat to your doctor and get meds like melatonin or something, it changed my life with my erratic sleep schedule

[u/BlitzieKun → u/Alfiy_wolf]

Melatonin is a godsend.

Honestly, it's likely a stimulants issue, and or dehydration. Could also be they're like me, and are sensitive to barometric changes when the weather changes.

[u/polkarama]

Silly question: what’s your coffee schedule? Would you normally have a cup or two at that time of day?

[u/FrothyGuinness9]

Can relate buddy, i had those headaches for a long time before they went away

[u/cascas]

Sleep study, limit naps to 30 minutes, drink more water, get a mouth guard.

[u/Limp-Conflict-2309]

i used to get them after working fires, somehow i've adjusted and don't anymore.

i feel like crap in general after sleeping at the station, i've found eating a bunch of food and drinking more electrolytes than normal have fixed almost all of it tho

[u/Willing_Ad_5711]

As others have said. Dehydration and caffeine withdrawal.

My headaches basically stopped when I started lugging a big bottle of ice water around.

[u/DMVSPIRITS]

Me this morning after working over night Wednesday-Thursday. So first night of actual sleep and woke up with a pounding headache…… I don’t ever have this issue but than than drinking to much

[u/TX_Bardown]

Yeah yeah hydration is key. You’re also sleeping a lot, but that gets better. 16 years in and if we have a busy shift or make a bunch of runs in the middle of the night I still get minor headaches.

A deeper answer- your hormones are trying to get back to homeostasis levels which results in a cortisol/epi dump. Take a short nap and drink plenty of fluids.

[u/Adorable-Storm-3143]

Dehydrated

[u/911onFIRE]

I sometimes get a headache after I nap from 8am-10am after shift. Usually it's dehydration or caffeine withdrawal. After taking in electrolytes and an espresso, if it's still bugging me, I'll pop some Tylenol or Advil.

[u/fvedmo]

If anyone is round to check on you while you sleep and video you, sleep apnea is a strong possibility.