Working nights
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Associate
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How many nights will you do in total? I generally do mostly night shifts at my work (HCA in the local hospital) and for my first night shift (usually do 3-4 in a row) I tend to get up fairly early in the morning, 6-7, get some things done (house work, cleaning etc) just to get me doing something during the morning. Then at around lunch time (12ish) I might have something light to eat and head back to bed and get up around 17.30-18.00 depending on what time I start (generally I start at 20.00 but might be already at 19.15 if I work extra on another ward).
It depends what sort of work you're doing really, the only "night" shift I've ever done are unofficial sleeping shifts, so they didn't affect me too much apart from allowing me to have the 2 day, 2 night, 4 off pattern of gloriousness.
That sounds nice and sensible. I usually get up at 6.30am anyway so might stay up a little later and get up a little earlier, then try and sleep all afternoon
did shifts for years hated them
Go home at 8am target for getting to sleep for 9:30 at latest
sleep until 16:30 - 17:00
get up make/eat dinner 18:00
watch tv until 19:30 go to work
When you are off are you thinking of going back to normal day hours ? (it will wreck you)
Go home at 8am target for getting to sleep for 9:30 at latest
sleep until 16:30 - 17:00
get up make/eat dinner 18:00
watch tv until 19:30 go to work
When you are off are you thinking of going back to normal day hours ? (it will wreck you)
Associate
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It is what works best for me at least. I have collegues that will get up around 14-15.00 for a night shift (some will have families to deal with, others are just plain stupid) and then complain about being tired all night 
I do tend to struggle to go to bed when I plan to for various reasons though, but when I do, it works pretty well. What kind of work will you be doing?
I do tend to struggle to go to bed when I plan to for various reasons though, but when I do, it works pretty well. What kind of work will you be doing?That's what I'm really not looking forward to. The middle days.
It is what works best for me at least. I have collegues that will get up around 14-15.00 for a night shift (some will have families to deal with, others are just plain stupid) and then complain about being tired all night
I've fitted blackout material in the spare room and have ear plugs, the missus has been told not to disturb!
Doctor
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Ah, so we are in a very similar business then
When I finish my nights I do most of the time stay up all the day and go to bed around 20-ish. In that way I will usually sleep all night until the morning. Sometimes I will have 2-3 hours sleep in the morning but I've found that when I do that I tend to be waking up at 2-3 in the morning and struggle to fall asleep again.
Good idea about the blackout material and ear plugs as well. The main problem I have is from spring to autumn when they will cut the grass outside (I live in a ground floor flat)... That can be quite noisy.. And as I live in the hospital accommodation they test the fire alarms every Wednesday morning, so I tend to stay up until that is done lol.
When I finish my nights I do most of the time stay up all the day and go to bed around 20-ish. In that way I will usually sleep all night until the morning. Sometimes I will have 2-3 hours sleep in the morning but I've found that when I do that I tend to be waking up at 2-3 in the morning and struggle to fall asleep again.
Good idea about the blackout material and ear plugs as well. The main problem I have is from spring to autumn when they will cut the grass outside (I live in a ground floor flat)... That can be quite noisy.. And as I live in the hospital accommodation they test the fire alarms every Wednesday morning, so I tend to stay up until that is done lol.
My advice, go to bed early on your days off, eg try to start sleeping at 4am
Get up at 11 or 12 mid day
Try not to totally revert to days sleeping pattern on days off it will kill you
wow. where do you work? i wanna join lol
basically what others have said:
first day:
next few days:
last day i would get into bed post-nights until midday, then force myself to get up and stay awake until 9pm-ish and then get back to bed to get into the normal routine.
Associate
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I work 3 days, 7 nights then 4 days in a row, mostly 6 till 6. My advice is get a shower to relax the muscles and take an hour out to relax the mind (I twitch in my sleep If i haven't chilled out). Go to bed get up for 2pm each day you can, your body will get tired but keep occupied and busy. When you've come off nights (1st day off) get up for 2 again potter about as normal, have a drink maybe on the night time with your partner etc sleep like a log that night.
Ive worked a shift rota which has included nights for 26 years and that's what helps me. Don`t take anything to help you sleep, you'll become accustomed to it and need more stronger stuff.
Ive worked a shift rota which has included nights for 26 years and that's what helps me. Don`t take anything to help you sleep, you'll become accustomed to it and need more stronger stuff.
I spent most of my working life working 4 on 3 off 12 hour nightshifts (with one 30 minute break lol...) I never managed to sleep much during the day. It's a very unhealthy existence and you'll probably die earlier if you do it long term.
I found best thing was to stay up as late as possible on the last day shift so you would sleep most of the day of the first night shift.
Also black out curtains are a God send & ear plugs if you have a noisy neighbours.
Plus avoid energy drinks they give you a small boost but you come down hard.
Best bet is small energy meals spread out and keep moving. If nothing to do keep walking around.
Tbh in the end when I knew I was going, I just told everyone I was on channel 5 of the radio. Turned off the lights, put the radio to max and shut my eyes. Quite a few night shifts ended when the next tech walked in and woke me up.
Also black out curtains are a God send & ear plugs if you have a noisy neighbours.
Plus avoid energy drinks they give you a small boost but you come down hard.
Best bet is small energy meals spread out and keep moving. If nothing to do keep walking around.
Tbh in the end when I knew I was going, I just told everyone I was on channel 5 of the radio. Turned off the lights, put the radio to max and shut my eyes. Quite a few night shifts ended when the next tech walked in and woke me up.
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Best advice I've received regarding night shifts is get out immediately!
No amount of money is worth it, unless you're doing it short term. I did nights for 3 years and never again, the money is fun at first but your social life and body will suffer no matter what you do.
Blackout curtains, no caffeine/supplements, no alarms on off days, try and keep to a regular eating plan, use night mode on any devices that have it, and make sure you get some sun to keep your vitamin D up.
No amount of money is worth it, unless you're doing it short term. I did nights for 3 years and never again, the money is fun at first but your social life and body will suffer no matter what you do.
Blackout curtains, no caffeine/supplements, no alarms on off days, try and keep to a regular eating plan, use night mode on any devices that have it, and make sure you get some sun to keep your vitamin D up.
When I started doing shifts about 5 months ago at first I tried staying up extra late before the first night shift so I'd wake up later. Didn't really work, I just ended up tired two-thirds into my shift.
Now I just go to bed at a more "normal" time e.g. midnight-1am, wake up as normal, then try to get an hour or two of sleep in the afternoon/evening before starting work at 9:30pm. For each following shift I'm usually home by about 7am and in bed by 7:30, then just wake up when my body decides to which tends to be around 1-2pm. I personally will have breakfast at that time e.g. cereal and a cup of tea, then a decent meal for dinner later and take something smaller into work with me to have if I get hungry enough. The hardest part is getting my sleep pattern back to normal again during my three days off because I then do a run of early shifts starting at 7am (and then a run of backshifts, then a run of nights and so on).
You'll probably feel tired for the first ones anyway while your body adjusts.
Now I just go to bed at a more "normal" time e.g. midnight-1am, wake up as normal, then try to get an hour or two of sleep in the afternoon/evening before starting work at 9:30pm. For each following shift I'm usually home by about 7am and in bed by 7:30, then just wake up when my body decides to which tends to be around 1-2pm. I personally will have breakfast at that time e.g. cereal and a cup of tea, then a decent meal for dinner later and take something smaller into work with me to have if I get hungry enough. The hardest part is getting my sleep pattern back to normal again during my three days off because I then do a run of early shifts starting at 7am (and then a run of backshifts, then a run of nights and so on).
You'll probably feel tired for the first ones anyway while your body adjusts.
Doesn't work for me - if external noise disturbs me they'd have to be good enough I'd sleep through any alarm I set as well :s and I never feel comfortable with them in anyhow which also stops me getting to sleep.
Nights are really messing me up at the moment - I had bursts of sleep from about 11:30pm yesterday to 1am today, then ~5am to about 8am and again from about 2pm til 6pm
struggling to sleep for any length of time and not feeling refreshed when I do.I was doing OK - sleeping from 6am and waking up between mid-day to 2pm for the last 4 months of working nights but something has disrupted me and I can't get back into a pattern for the last couple of weeks.