I did a month of nights, then a month of days then repeat. It killed me. Took around 3 weeks to get into nights then you'd switch. We were fairly quiet at night time, and had ideas of doing various projects etc but was far too tired to achieve anything.
Night shift whats it like
- Thread starter bakes0310
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I did a month of nights, then a month of days then repeat. It killed me. Took around 3 weeks to get into nights then you'd switch. We were fairly quiet at night time, and had ideas of doing various projects etc but was far too tired to achieve anything.
Thanks for all the info i have decided to do Afternoons instead. With all the health risk and potential lesser years on the clock. Also i think i would be a better worker on afternoons and would be more inclined to do more overtime meaning i could end up getting to the nightshift wage and more even.
This is the only reason you wouldhave 'health problems'. Im sorry, but its more convenient to blame the nightshift, so people do. I personally work mostly nights at the moment, and do not have any trouble adjusting.
I'd rather do nights than afternoons.. Hate afters!
I currently do 1 week morns (6am to 2pm) then next week afters (2pm to 10pm.. You just can't do anything on afternoons
I disagree i go to the gym and then i go out on my motorbike for a couple hours and then have tea at home then off to work for 2:30pm all cheery
I work nights but don't do a set shift as such. I work for a film company and deal with film shot in production that day. So depending on the shoot day (when they wrap, how long the lab takes to process it etc.) depends on when I start. We've just started a new project and normally I start around 1am. Good news is that I can go once we've done our work so a lot of the time I'm out on the first tube home (~6am). When they start shooting more though that will obviously change.
I didn't actually find it as hard to adjust to nights as I thought I would. Personally I keep my meals at the same time as they would be on days and I think that helps immensely. I can't think of anything worse for your body than trying to have your 'dinner' at 4am
So I have some cereal when I get up, then have dinner with the girlfriend about 8pm-ish. I'll then have a sandwich or something small at work about 4-5am, then as soon as I get home I can collapse straight into bed. Like others said, if you're in bed at 6-8am you can still get your quota of sleep and have an afternoon to yourself.
After a Friday night at work I'd get into bed asap, then sleep for maximum 5hrs. Hopefully will be up by midday Saturday and then I'd be tired enough to sleep that night. The benefit of that is you get a Saturday afternoon and a full Sunday. I'd tend to sleep in until 11am-ish on Monday morning to catch up on the sleep missed on Friday night, then I'd have most of Monday which is nice, then in at night and back into the nights routine. Not too bad, really.
The main thing I would recommend is eating your meals at their usual time. Makes the swap-over so much easier! The main problem with nights is just missing out on a social life. It's hard to want to get up, go out and meet friends and then have to go to work
I didn't actually find it as hard to adjust to nights as I thought I would. Personally I keep my meals at the same time as they would be on days and I think that helps immensely. I can't think of anything worse for your body than trying to have your 'dinner' at 4am
So I have some cereal when I get up, then have dinner with the girlfriend about 8pm-ish. I'll then have a sandwich or something small at work about 4-5am, then as soon as I get home I can collapse straight into bed. Like others said, if you're in bed at 6-8am you can still get your quota of sleep and have an afternoon to yourself.After a Friday night at work I'd get into bed asap, then sleep for maximum 5hrs. Hopefully will be up by midday Saturday and then I'd be tired enough to sleep that night. The benefit of that is you get a Saturday afternoon and a full Sunday. I'd tend to sleep in until 11am-ish on Monday morning to catch up on the sleep missed on Friday night, then I'd have most of Monday which is nice, then in at night and back into the nights routine. Not too bad, really.
The main thing I would recommend is eating your meals at their usual time. Makes the swap-over so much easier! The main problem with nights is just missing out on a social life. It's hard to want to get up, go out and meet friends and then have to go to work
Soldato
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- Norwich
I do 2 night shifts in a 6 day run with 4 off after them, i love them but work with a good bunch of people and are busy so not enough time to worry about not being asleep etc.
Before i started i was worried about sleeping but when i get in at 0700 i go to sleep no problems, no black out blinds and its a very light room - i only wake for the phone or door so general noise is fine - i guess i am lucky like that!
I prefer nights to my early starts in all honesty!
Before i started i was worried about sleeping but when i get in at 0700 i go to sleep no problems, no black out blinds and its a very light room - i only wake for the phone or door so general noise is fine - i guess i am lucky like that!
I prefer nights to my early starts in all honesty!
Until you've tried it it's very hard to say if you can hack it or not.
I do around 2 night shifts a week, either 9-5 or 10-6. A lot of people at our place have problems doing them but I don't for example. I can be in bed for 40mins after I finish and back up at 1 in the afternoon ready to be in work again 3 hours later.
It depends entirely on the person, some people find it a breeze and other's impossible.
I do around 2 night shifts a week, either 9-5 or 10-6. A lot of people at our place have problems doing them but I don't for example. I can be in bed for 40mins after I finish and back up at 1 in the afternoon ready to be in work again 3 hours later.
It depends entirely on the person, some people find it a breeze and other's impossible.
I like working nights, but I only do 7 nightshifts in a 7 week shift cycle, so the impact on sleep pattern isn't too drastic.
I have had many extended periods of nightshifts though, 14 night stretches of 12 hour shifts at one point!
very, very hard going tbh and left me physically and mentally quite drained, however, if you look after your body & mind with good diet and exercise and obviously make sure you get adequate daytime sleep, then I think any long term health risks can be minimised.
I have had many extended periods of nightshifts though, 14 night stretches of 12 hour shifts at one point!
very, very hard going tbh and left me physically and mentally quite drained, however, if you look after your body & mind with good diet and exercise and obviously make sure you get adequate daytime sleep, then I think any long term health risks can be minimised.
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Soldato
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I work Night shifts in a store,and have done for 4 years....Its 50/50 really it has its possitives and Negatives.
Possitives-
Negatives-
Thing is though,Im that use to doing night shift now i dont think i would like going back to days.
Possitives-
- Its more quiet...No nagging customers.
- No Pesky managment.
- No having to get up early (even better at winter)
Negatives-
- Always feeling Tired no matter how much sleep you get.
- Lack of Social life (Especially if you work 5-6 nights P/W)
- Wage is crap...Well where i work it is anyway,We hardly pick up much more than the standard day team...so underpaid.
Thing is though,Im that use to doing night shift now i dont think i would like going back to days.
Soldato
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I'm the same 3 1/2 years on permanent night shift love it.
Positives-
- Its more quiet...No nagging customers. Yup its great.
- No Pesky managment. Even better
- No having to get up early (even better at winter) Mmm
Negatives-
- Always feeling Tired no matter how much sleep you get. Not for me only have 4-5 hrs sleep anyway
- Lack of Social life (Especially if you work 5-6 nights P/W) A bit but not that bad
- Wage is crap...Well where i work it is anyway,We hardly pick up much more than the standard day team...so underpaid. Same here
Depends what your life is suited to. I done it for 2 months working nights on a project. It was decent because you could crack on and no one would bother you but since we were working 6pm-6am Monday-Thursday by the time saturday night came you started creeping in to your old sleep pattern and you would be snookered by Monday morning.
Money and the banter were decent but wasn't for me.
Money and the banter were decent but wasn't for me.
I'm on a 3 shift pattern.1week days.1 week backshift.1 week nights. I much prefer the nightshift. I get much more sleep , see more of the wife and kids, its more money and there's less management in. The best feeling in the world is going to bed at 8am knowing everyone else is going to work.
I did nights for 6 months when i was about 20. Mon-Fri night 9pm-7am and it was alright to begin with but when I realised that basically the only day I had 100% to myself was Sunday and my social life was going down the toilet as all my mates were part of the 'big friday night' style I sacked it in. I didn't really feel my health suffered but at the time we were only getting 20% extra which didn't feel like enough to put up with. After about 6 months I gave it up and went back to days. I've never been a morning person but after working nights knowing that you get two 'proper' days to yourself when you do days it didn't really compare.
Some can hack it, others can't. It really depends on so many things. I'd check with the bosses about a trial period, maybe a couple of months and see how you get on.
Some can hack it, others can't. It really depends on so many things. I'd check with the bosses about a trial period, maybe a couple of months and see how you get on.
It depends on the person.
I'm part of a 16 man department that work Shifts.We have 4 teams of 4, and each do 4 days on, 4 days off. On those 4 days, we do 2 day shifts and 2 night shifts.
Some (like me) find the night shifts bareable, and quite enjoy the 4 days off we get and don't really find the night shifts a challenge.Others hated it, didn't last and left very quickly. One or two love the night shift, and hate the day shifts.
Very similar pattern to what the firefighters do except we work 4 x 12 hour shifts instead of longer night shifts and shorter day shifts.
I'm part of a 16 man department that work Shifts.We have 4 teams of 4, and each do 4 days on, 4 days off. On those 4 days, we do 2 day shifts and 2 night shifts.
Some (like me) find the night shifts bareable, and quite enjoy the 4 days off we get and don't really find the night shifts a challenge.Others hated it, didn't last and left very quickly. One or two love the night shift, and hate the day shifts.
Very similar pattern to what the firefighters do except we work 4 x 12 hour shifts instead of longer night shifts and shorter day shifts.
I have been working nights now for 6 months and work 4 10 hour shifts a week, tues-fri. This is my experience:
First night of the week is always hard but it's manageable, every other night after is fine. I have an empty house during the day so sleep is easy. I work 7pm-5:30am in bed for 6am wake up at 1pm. On a Saturday I get up at 10am then go to bed at normal time Saturday night, then maintain normal sleep pattern till Tuesday morning when I get up late to prepare for first night on shift.
When I first started I had stomach pains for the first two weeks which have now subsided. I don't get ill and I don't feel tired during the week only on a Saturday when I've had only 4 hours sleep. It feels like I have loads more time, I go out in the afternoon to play golf or spend the time doing chores. I am able to cook a proper meal everyday and me and my partner can eat dinner everyday at the same time which I couldn't do before.
At work I would say the best thing is having no boss looking over your shoulder and the extra money.
At the end of the day its how you handle it personally. As has already been said it suits some people and it really doesn't suit others. I think discipline is very important as well, its very easy just to stay in bed all day which I think makes you feel like crap. Having a routine I think is important.
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First night of the week is always hard but it's manageable, every other night after is fine. I have an empty house during the day so sleep is easy. I work 7pm-5:30am in bed for 6am wake up at 1pm. On a Saturday I get up at 10am then go to bed at normal time Saturday night, then maintain normal sleep pattern till Tuesday morning when I get up late to prepare for first night on shift.
When I first started I had stomach pains for the first two weeks which have now subsided. I don't get ill and I don't feel tired during the week only on a Saturday when I've had only 4 hours sleep. It feels like I have loads more time, I go out in the afternoon to play golf or spend the time doing chores. I am able to cook a proper meal everyday and me and my partner can eat dinner everyday at the same time which I couldn't do before.
At work I would say the best thing is having no boss looking over your shoulder and the extra money.
At the end of the day its how you handle it personally. As has already been said it suits some people and it really doesn't suit others. I think discipline is very important as well, its very easy just to stay in bed all day which I think makes you feel like crap. Having a routine I think is important.
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