Shift work · Paramedic / EMT
Paramedic / EMT sleep guide
24-hour shifts common; 48/96 rotations elsewhere. Unpredictable call volume disrupts even reserved rest.
Primary risks
- Decision-making errors after 18+ continuous awake hours
- Inability to predict when rest is possible — chronic stress response
Strategies that work
- Treat every rest opportunity as a real rest opportunity: change into rest clothes, dim lights, earplugs.
- Power naps (10–20 min) any chance you get during a 24-hour shift.
- Avoid heavy meals during overnight portions of a shift — they worsen post-prandial drowsiness.
Nap protocol
Three 20-min naps spread across a 24-hour shift outperform one long nap — fatigue accumulates linearly between sleep opportunities.