Anyone work graveyard shift? If so, how do you stay awake?

Question

I work 12 hour shifts at night and find it difficult to stay awake for obvious reasons.

Answer 1

I worked as an overnight security guard, but I was constantly patrolling by foot or by bicycle so that kept me awake. Do some kind of exercise, even if you are sitting down you can flex and unflex your muscles. Keep your mind active too.

The key to being comfortable on a graveyard shift is to set aside eight hours for sleep on a consistent basis and stick to it. Getting a little sleep and a little there will only make it worse. Shifting back and forth from a regular daytime schedule to a nightime schedule will screw you up too. You have to commit to sleeping during the day and create conditions that are condusive to that.

Answer 2

Graveyard shifts are always tough to get used to at first. Caffiene of course is going to be your first aid. Keeping an active work schedule keeps you occupied enough that you don't think about sleeping too much, it's when you have downtime that you really start to feel the need to sleep. If you can change your sleep schedule so that your body can have 8 hrs of sleep while you're off work, you'll adjust ok. The other part of that is to keep weekend schedules the same as during the week. If your not working the weekends and you revert back to your regular sleep schedule, you'll keep your body off balance enough to always be tired. It does require a good change in sleeping habits, you may need to close drapes, keep the house dark and quiet enough that you can get your needed sleep. Did it myself for many years and watched my dad do it for over 20 years. Good luck with it. I think you'll adjust ok. Peace out.

Answer 3

Caffeine, caffeine, caffeine.

No, seriously, I just drink a couple of diet cokes during the night and try to keep busy. It's when things get slow that I start to drag. Keep the lights bright, drink coffee if it gets really bad, and get yourself on a schedule. After you make it through the first night, you'll be exhausted so you'll fall asleep all day. Try to schedule your shifts back to back so you don't spend the rest of the week as a wide-awake vampire while everyone else is asleep.

Answer 4

YES. I'VE WORKED 12 HOUR SHIFTS FOR YEARS AND I HAD NO TROUBLE STAYING AWAKE. PROBABLY BECAUSE BEFORE I TOOK THE JOB POSITION I WAS A INSOMNIAC. ALSO I WORK WITH PATIENTS. I CAN'T GET SLEEPY KNOWING THAT SOMEONE COULD NEED ME AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

I STILL WORK THIRD SHIFT BUT IT'S ONLY 8 HOURS SO WHEN I LEAVE HERE, I ATTEND SCHOOL. STILL I DO NOT GET TIRED.

Answer 5

I work 12 hour graveyard shift too. Yahoo answers help because you can go online keep answering questions. Try NoDoz it is a high caffeine pill and just make sure to sleep when you get home .

Answer 6

The most succesful I've been in staying awake long hours has been to establish a regular sleeping pattern. Sleep the same hours of the day as much as possible, don't binge and purge on sleep.

Answer 7

one word: caffeine. Thats what did it for me. I had to work 8 hour shifts all 5 days a week all last year. Finally quit, but soda and coffee is what got me through the night. Good luck man.

Answer 8

very easily, it might take a solid month to change but just adjust your sleep pattern. your body will get used to the time shift and you'll be fine. although it takes a few hours to get to sleep when i get home in the morning

Answer 9

i worked third shift for 6 months and it was hard i drank lots of coffee good luck

Answer 10

i've done it for 14 years. my secret? coffee, and getting enough sleep during the day.