A CBT-I Guide for Shift Workers in Alberta's Oil and Gas Industry

Sleep on a rotation is its own problem

If you work in Alberta’s oil and gas industry, your sleep probably runs on two completely different schedules. On site, it’s long shifts, early starts or night hitches, a camp room and a few hours between dinner and lights-out. At home, it’s family, errands and trying to feel normal again, until it’s time to fly back out.

That back-and-forth is what makes rotation work different from ordinary shift work. You’re not just adjusting to nights; you’re switching between two whole lives every couple of weeks. Many workers find their sleep never fully settles in either place, and over time that can turn into chronic insomnia.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line, drug-free treatment for insomnia, and it can be adapted to rotation schedules. This page focuses on what’s specific to oil and gas rotations. For the core CBT-I techniques for any shift schedule, such as sleep restriction, stimulus control, light management and napping, see our comprehensive guide to CBT-I for shift workers.

Common rotations and what they do to sleep

14-on/14-off and similar rotations

Two weeks on, two weeks off is common in the oil sands and on drilling and construction projects, along with variations like 7-and-7, 10-and-4, 14-and-7 or 21-and-7. Each has its own sleep pattern:

• Long on-site stretches mean two or three weeks of 10- to 12-hour shifts with little true recovery time. Sleep debt builds up toward the end of the hitch.
• Long breaks at home give you time to recover, but if you drift to a very different sleep schedule, the first few nights back at camp hit hard.
• Shorter rotations mean more frequent travel and more transition days, so you may never fully adjust in either direction.

Day hitches vs night hitches

Many rotations alternate between a day hitch and a night hitch, or split one hitch into days followed by nights. Night hitches are where most sleep problems show up: sleeping in a camp room during the day, with daylight around the blinds and noise in the hallway, is hard even for good sleepers. If you switch from days to nights mid-hitch, plan that flip deliberately rather than just pushing through.

Sleeping in camp

Making a camp room work for sleep

You can’t renovate your camp room, but you can pack for it:

• Darkness: a good eye mask, plus something to block gaps around the blinds (some workers bring removable blackout film or clips).
• Noise: foam earplugs or a small white noise device to cover hallway traffic, doors and neighbours on different shifts.
• Temperature: camp rooms are often too warm. If you can adjust the thermostat, aim for cool. A fan doubles as white noise.
• Consistency: bring the same pillow, the same routine and the same wind-down cues every hitch, so your brain recognizes “this is where I sleep.”

The evening crunch

After a 12-hour shift, dinner and a shower, you may only have a couple of hours before you need to sleep. It’s tempting to spend all of it on your phone, calling home, gaming or catching up on shows, then lie in bed wired. Build a short wind-down, even 20 to 30 minutes, between screens and lights-out. Call home earlier in the evening if you can.

Social pressure and the gym

Camp life comes with its own social rhythm: the rec centre, the gym, cards with the crew. That’s important for your well-being, but hard workouts late in the evening can push your sleep later. If you train after shift, finish well before bed and keep the last hour quiet.

Caffeine, energy drinks and alcohol

Long shifts and early starts make it easy to lean on coffee and energy drinks all day. Front-load caffeine early in your shift and cut it off several hours before you sleep. Many camps are dry, but if yours isn’t, keep in mind that alcohol breaks up sleep in the second half of the night.

Fly-in/fly-out travel days

Crew-change days

Crew-change days often start very early: a pre-dawn alarm to get to the airport or bus, a flight or a long drive up Highway 63, then sometimes straight onto shift. Treat travel days as part of your sleep plan, not something you just survive:

• Go to bed earlier the night before, but not hours earlier. Lying awake waiting for a 3:30 a.m. alarm is common and makes things worse. Your usual bedtime, moved earlier by an hour or so, is more realistic.
• Nap on the flight or bus if you can, but keep it short if you’re heading into a shift later that day.
• Get bright light once you arrive if you’re starting days, to help set your clock for the hitch.

Fatigue on the drive home

If you drive home after your last shift, especially after a night hitch, fatigue is a real safety risk. If you can, sleep before you drive. A short nap and a coffee before you leave is better than pushing through. Many sites and employers have fatigue management policies; use them.

The transition home

Flipping back after a night hitch

Coming home after nights is often the hardest switch of the rotation. Your body still thinks night is daytime, but your family is expecting you to be part of the day. A common approach:

1. On your first day home, take a short nap of no more than a couple of hours in the morning, rather than sleeping the whole day.
2. Stay up until a reasonable bedtime that night, even if you’re tired. Get outside in daylight during the afternoon.
3. Wake at a normal time the next morning and get bright light right away.

It may take a few days to feel fully normal. That’s expected, not a sign that something’s wrong.

Settling into home sleep

Some workers sleep well at camp and badly at home, or the other way around. At home, the bed is shared, kids wake early, and you may be trying to fit two weeks of life into a few days. A few things help:

• Keep your home wake-up time fairly steady instead of sleeping in to “catch up” for days. Big swings make the next hitch harder.
• Talk with your partner about the first day or two home, so they know you may need a nap and some quiet.
• Watch for the night-before-flying-out anxiety. Many rotation workers sleep poorly the night before they head back. CBT-I’s cognitive techniques can help with the “I have to sleep, I have an early flight” spiral.

Preparing for the next hitch

Two or three days before you fly out, start nudging your schedule toward what you’ll need on site. If your next hitch starts on days with a 5 a.m. alarm, gradually move your wake-up time earlier. If it starts on nights, let your bedtime drift later.

Getting CBT-I when you’re away half the time

Rotation work makes weekly in-person appointments almost impossible. Fortunately, CBT-I works well virtually. A provider who understands rotation schedules can:

• Set different sleep windows for camp days, night hitches and home days.
• Schedule sessions during your days off, or from camp if you have private space and a decent connection.
• Use a sleep diary across a full rotation so you can see where sleep breaks down, whether it’s the end of the hitch, the transition home or the night before you fly out.

Most CBT-I programs run about four to eight sessions. Many workers notice improvements within the first few weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Can CBT-I work if my schedule changes every two weeks?

Yes. CBT-I is built on principles, not a single fixed bedtime. Your provider will help you set a plan for each phase of your rotation and handle the transitions between them.

I share a camp room or have noisy neighbours. Can I still do CBT-I?

Yes. You may need to lean more on earplugs, an eye mask and white noise, and some techniques (like getting up when you can’t sleep) may look a little different in camp. A provider can help you adapt them.

Is CBT-I covered by my benefits?

Coverage depends on your plan and the type of provider. Many oil and gas employers offer benefits that include psychological services, and an Employee and Family Assistance Program can help with referrals. Check with your benefits provider.

Can CBT-I help me stop relying on sleep aids?

Often, yes. Reducing or stopping sleep medication is a common goal of CBT-I, done gradually and with your doctor’s input. See CBT-I vs sleeping pills for more.

Get support

If your rotation is wearing down your sleep, we can connect you with a CBT-I provider who understands camp life and fly-in/fly-out schedules, wherever you live in Alberta. Contact us to get started.