Night Shift Sleep Schedule Calculator

Built for people who sleep while the sun is up.

The hardest part of night shift is not staying awake at work. It is protecting enough daytime sleep between shifts. Enter your roster below and get a concrete plan: when to get in bed, when to get up, where a nap fits, and when caffeine has to stop.

Time to shower, eat something light, and let your brain power down after the commute.

Your sleep plan

How to use this schedule

  • Protect the window. The single biggest predictor of good day sleep is consistency. Go to bed at the same time every workday, including the day before your first shift back.
  • Wear sunglasses on the way home. Morning sunlight tells your brain it is time to wake up. Blocking it for the 30 minutes after your shift makes falling asleep dramatically easier.
  • Keep the room dark, cool, and boring. Blackout curtains or a good sleep mask, earplugs or white noise, and a cool room do more for day sleep than any supplement. See our blackout bedroom guide.
  • Anchor your days off. You do not have to keep the full night schedule on days off, but avoid swinging more than 2-3 hours or Monday will punish you. Our transition planner maps the swing for you.

Common questions

Is split sleep as good as one block?

For shift workers, often yes. Research on segmented sleep shows two blocks (for example 5 hours plus a 90-minute nap) can deliver similar total rest when one long block is impossible. The key is that the blocks are protected and consistent.

What if I only get 5-6 hours?

That is common on night shift and better than nothing, but treat it as a floor, not a target. Chronic short sleep compounds. If 7+ hours will not fit between your shifts, that is useful information about your roster, and worth raising with your scheduler.

Should I nap during my shift?

If your workplace allows it, a 20-30 minute nap during the natural low point (around 3-4am for overnight workers) measurably improves alertness. Set an alarm. Longer than 30 minutes risks grogginess that is worse than no nap.

General wellness information only. If you have ongoing insomnia, sleep apnea symptoms, or excessive daytime sleepiness that affects your safety, talk to a clinician.