Clothes during a period of night shifts

Short answer: Night shifts turn your day upside down, and your body is at its coldest around four in the morning. Your clothes need to come on and off easily through the shift, and at home they need to suit daytime sleep in a bright, warm bedroom.

Your body cools in the middle of the night

Body temperature drops by about one degree in the early morning hours, and you feel it as cold even though the room has not changed. Many people are surprised the first time, because they were warm when the shift started. Keep an extra layer in your bag or on your chair. Browse women's clothing for easy layers.

Layers keep you in control

At the start of the shift you are still warm from the journey and the early rush. Later in the night things calm down and you cool off. Thin layers you can add and remove work better than one thick jumper. A thin base layer next to the skin and a soft layer on top cover most nights.

Daytime sleep needs different clothes

When you sleep during the day, the bedroom is often bright and warmer than at night because the sun hits the windows. That calls for lighter nightwear than usual. Choose a light fabric that does not cling, such as one of our bamboo slips. It is easy to sleep in when the room warms up.

Get the bedroom ready for daytime

Clothing is only part of it. Blackout curtains and a cool room matter just as much when you need to sleep while everyone else is awake. Air the room before bed and use a thinner duvet during the shift period. That way you do not wake up hot in the afternoon and have to change halfway through.

Changing clothes marks the transition

Changing before and after a shift helps your body understand when the day is over, even when the clock says otherwise. Take off your work clothes as soon as you get home and put on something soft you only wear at home. A fixed outfit such as women's bamboo joggers makes the change a habit.

Routines make it easier

Shift periods get easier when the same things happen in the same order every time. Lay out clothes for the next shift before you go to bed, so you are not searching for them when you wake up tired. Give worn clothes a fixed place too. Small routines like these save energy for everything else.

Plan for more sets than usual

During a stretch of night shifts, laundry often gets done less often because the days go to sleep and work. That means you need more sets in the wardrobe than usual. A simple rule is one set per shift plus two extra. Then you always have something clean, even after a long week.

Pick fabric that stays comfortable for hours

A night shift is long, and clothes that feel fine in the first hour can start to rub by morning. Look for flat seams, soft waistbands and a fabric that does not turn clammy when you move a lot. That applies to what you wear under work clothes and what you change into at home.

Frequently asked questions

How cold do you get at night

Around four in the morning your body feels one to two degrees colder, because body temperature drops in the early hours. An extra layer within reach solves most of it.

What helps with daytime sleep

Blackout curtains, a cool bedroom and a fixed change of clothes when you get home. Light nightwear makes it easier to sleep when the sun warms the room.

How many sets do you need

One per shift plus two, because laundry often gets done less often during shift periods. That way a clean set is always ready.