5 Ways for Nurses to Decompress After a Long Shift

There’s no question that nurses work extremely hard. As a result, burnout among nurses is a common challenge. Developing tools for relaxation is essential to having a happy, healthy nursing career. We’ve created a list of ways to decompress as a nurse after long or stressful shifts. Read on to learn how to take care of yourself after taking care of others!

Spend Time “Off the Grid”

Find time every day to disconnect from social media, email, and television. Studies have shown that “technostress” – stress caused by the information overload of social media – is a very real thing.

Our brains aren’t prepared to cope with modern technology’s delivery of constant, overstimulating streams of content. Social media and the internet present challenges for the human mind that create uncertainty and anxiety, which affects our professional and personal lives in a negative way.

You can protect yourself against this by unplugging. Plan to put your phone away, close your laptop, and turn off the TV for as little as one hour every day, and stick to it.

Physical Activity & Exercise

Physical activity releases stress-relieving endorphins and leads to long-term feelings of well-being.

Don’t force it, though – find an activity that you enjoy. There are endless opportunities to exercise while having fun. Yoga, spinning classes, tennis, swimming, or even a brisk walk around the neighborhood are all great ways to find relief.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for managing stress. Sleep deprivation will directly impact your mood, health, and ability to make good decisions.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. With such critical roles in healthcare, adequate sleep is one of the best ways to decompress as a nurse.

Be Smart About What You Eat

Eating foods with lots of sugar or carbohydrates might provide a short-term boost but will always end with a crash. If you’re drained after work, you may start to feel like you don’t have time for yourself. A mid-shift snack of dried fruit, almonds, or a turkey sandwich will provide you with the pick-me-up you need to finish with energy to spare.

Check out this extensive list of healthy, energizing snacks from EatingWell Magazine for more options.

Enjoy Your Time Off

If you’re not enjoying your time off, you don’t have a work-life balance.

Avoid taking the stresses of your job home with you. Spend your days and nights off doing something that you love, whether it’s a hobby, having fun with your family, or reading a great book.

You spend your professional life heroically caring for others in need. You deserve to be taken care of, too.

Find the Nursing Career of Your Dreams with Gifted

Are you a nurse looking for exciting career opportunities and the flexibility to pursue other projects? From travel to per diem contracts, Gifted Healthcare provides clinicians with high-paying jobs at premier healthcare facilities across the nation.

Apply now and become a Gifted Healthcare Nurse today!