When I started working night shifts, they were manageable initially, but after a few months, they took a toll on me. I ended up sleeping all day on my days off, losing weight rapidly, getting sick often, and feeling grumpy all the time. My relationship suffered as well.

My co-workers shared various tips on handling night shifts, and I tried them all with mixed results. It wasn't until I had a particularly rough day that I discovered the key to managing night shifts effectively: blocking out light.

I learned that darkness triggers the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which helps your body and brain sleep and stay asleep. When it's light, melatonin turns back into serotonin, waking you up. It's no wonder night shifts were a challenge.

Armed with this knowledge, I set out to find a good sleep mask. To my surprise, most on the market were meant for one-time use during travel or as novelty gifts with funny designs. While they did improve my sleep somewhat, they had issues. They were poorly made, didn't block light well, and felt uncomfortable on my face. It was clear they weren't designed with night shift workers in mind.

Frustrated and desperate for better sleep, I made my own sleep mask, and it made a huge difference. With my homemade mask, I managed night shifts successfully, faring much better than my co-workers who relied on energy drinks and sleeping pills.

Then, my girlfriend, a nursing student, had night shifts for her clinical placements and asked for help. I gave her a mask and earplugs, and her night shifts became easy to handle.

This made me realize that many people want to improve their night shifts but lack the right tools. I remembered how tough it was when I started and the lack of suitable sleep masks. I wanted others to experience the positive change a good sleep mask can bring.

That's why I started Love Nightshift—to help those who want to help themselves and enjoy night shifts.