hi all, i am in my 3rd week of a new job working mon - fri 8-4, I get up @ 5.15 as I have to travel a fair bit to get here. Now despite going to bed early the night before I am sat at my desk struggling to keep my eyes open! please do not suggest caffeine as have tried that believe me!! any ideas what I can do???
2006-10-05 01:48:35 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
p.s. have been working shifts for the last god knows how long - have never done a mon-fri job with set hours! so thanks x
2006-10-05 01:56:35 · update #1
Can you use a different form of transport or try to sleep on the way in?
What about trying to get things ready the night before, so you can get up later (every 5 minutes counts!)
Look at what you are eating - are you eating food that makes you sluggish, or doesn't give enough energy? (Try a banana for breakfast!!)
Sometimes if you are feeling a bit stressed (coping with new job, new faces etc) that can make you feel tired! it'll pass as you get used to the job.
Hope your new job is working out for you anyway!
I just read that you have changed from shifts recently - I should have guessed!! I had a nightmare few weeks when I changed from shifts to 'proper' hours. You eat at different times, get used to sleeping in late etc. Within a few weeks you'll be fine, you'll have more energy, you'll have a better social life, and you'll look better. And you'll hate having to go to supermarkets and shops when everyone else goes on Saturdays!!!!
2006-10-05 01:54:24 · answer #1 · answered by Smiler 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Be careful about what you eat - this is the most important thing. Try to have a small bowl of something like muesli or oats or maybe some wholemeal toast for breakfast to sustain you and provide a long lasting source of energy, and then plan an earlyish lunch if you can - around half 11 or 12 if at all possible.
Don't let yourself get hungry at any point and try and stay off the caffeine all morning as will only make you tireder after the effect has worn off and you'll struggle in the afternoon. Drink lots of water instead.
Only eat protein such as meat, fish, eggs etc with fresh salad or vegetables for lunch, and don't have anything with carbs in at all, so no bread, potatoes, pasta, rice etc as these will make you sleepy and dopey very fast especially if you were already quite hungry before you went for lunch. Try to get a little bit of exercise and fresh air at lunchtime too.
If you are flagging a little bit in the afternoon, have a coffee or something then- you will feel it so much more and it will keep you going to the end of the day if you haven't been full of caffeine all day. If you usually get hungry again in the afternoon, have a low-carb snack - some nuts or vegetable sticks or something, fruit also seems to be fine.
If it is a new job then maybe you are a bit stressed too? This will also contribute to the tiredness, so try and take some deep breaths and clear your head and let yourself feel positive and confident when you get the chance - it does make a big difference.
It is hard to get used to a new routine, especially one which involves getting up so early, but you will settle into it and in a few months time you'll be doing it like it's second nature, don't worry.
I used to be just like you when I started work for the first time, it was awful! But this stuff has really made a difference and I can't remember the last time I was struggling to stay awake at work, even when I haven't slept much. Try it and good luck!
2006-10-05 09:13:14 · answer #2 · answered by rainy-h 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your body over time will become acclimatised to your new working patterns - but you have probably had many years or working different hours and the body currently is struggling to adapt - there is nothing unusual here.
In the short term - whilst at work, keeping yourself busy, and not sitting down in front of a screen for hours on end will certainly help.
But the real answer is to let nature take its course and let your body become used to the hours. When you are not working, try and keep similar hours as if you were. Not whilst I am not suggesting that after a Fri night out you should get up at 5:15am on the Sat, if you don't surface until lunhctime having gone to bed in the early hours, the body clock will be thrown back to square one in the attempt to learn its new working pattern.
2006-10-05 09:01:57 · answer #3 · answered by Robbo31 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah I hear that I get to work at 7am everyday. Getting up at 5:15, well that just sucks. since you don't want to drink gallons of coffee the only thing I can tell you is A. your body will eventually just get used to feeling like crap or B. Quit this job and get one closer to your home. Stay away from the caffeine pills and try some orange juice in the morning. I've found if you eat a good healthy meal in the morning it will make you feel a little better than if you don't throughout the day.
2006-10-05 08:52:55 · answer #4 · answered by Jersey Style 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it's a vicious circle, If your already drinking lots of coffee, there's no real cure, have you tried pro plus tablets? or Red bull?
Or maybe if it's that bad you should ask your GP if they can suggest something. To be honest if you haven't been there that long and your starting a new routine maybe you just need to give your body time to adjust to the changes, and sometimes going to bed too early can make you feel even more tired in the mornings, and so make you overtired? x
2006-10-05 08:58:18 · answer #5 · answered by crazychicklisieloo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You say this is your 3rd week at a new job, what were you doing before? If you were at home sleeping late than your body just needs to get use to this new schedule. Take vitamins and try walking around when you feel yourself getting really tired.
2006-10-05 08:53:59 · answer #6 · answered by Darcee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I too struggle to stay awake at work and the healthy foods etc didn't work at all - I get by with espressos and proplus also some fruit drops to suck during the afternoon
2006-10-05 09:18:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to eat well - especially at breakfast, cut out sugar and try to go for a walk at lunchtime - even 10 minutes round the block will help.
2006-10-05 09:00:04 · answer #8 · answered by Chris G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get up and walk around every twenty minutes, get some fresh air whenever you can, and drink plenty of water. And if you can, get your thyroid levels checked - in my case, it turned out it was an underactive thyroid. But get your blood iron levels checked out at the same time.
2006-10-05 10:39:14 · answer #9 · answered by tick 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It cld be due to the excessive carbon dioxide released from the aircon. Too much co2 makes one lethargic. Maybe you should get the a/c checked or something.
2006-10-05 08:52:14 · answer #10 · answered by mbrmso 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋