anyone elseo work night shifts, any advice on staying human please?

Question

I work nights and Im taking melatonin and 5htp and I have a light box as I live in England and the light cycle for me is none, any one with any tips on how to stay happy and normal, any other fellow night shift workers who have stupid sleep cycles aswell, thanks

Answer 1

night shift was my favorite get off at 8 am watch a little tv then a quick meal sleep like a baby. early am seems to be my best sleep time good luck

Answer 2

4 to 5 hours a day. Waking up every couple of hours. Seems like the sun is always shinning so you cant sleep. I work third shift and believe me it sucks! It feels like i am always awake, up at all hours of the day! Try making a schedule for yourself and stick too it. I take my son to school, and come right back home. Take a sleeping pill (which doesn't always work), and go to bed. You can get shades for your windows(Room darkening) or heavy curtains to block out the light. Sleep is the key. Your body is not used to being awake in the day time so it fights it until you are so tired you just fall asleep. Make a schedule and stick to it. if you get your sleep in the daytime when everyone else is working then you will have your nights to be with your friends. I know that it is not that easy but if you don't get your sleep the whole world will become one big pain in the a s s!

Answer 3

I worked night shift for many years running an operating theatre. Very stressful but OK if you got enough sleep. I'd work 9pm - 8am for 7 nights then have 6 days off, then repeat it. The only way I could sort it out was to imagine that am was pm & vice versa - so I'd get up for work at 6pm & do all the morning type things - shower, breakfast, go to work. Around 1am if we weren't operating, I'd have my dinner, then tea at around 6am before going home. I'd then perhaps have a few bevvies on getting home - brandy at 9am - how decadent! Then bed around 9.30. On my first day off, I'd go to bed until 1am & then stay up until a normal bedtime. First night back, I'd lie in as much as possible in the morning & then try for a nap in the late afternoon. Some of my colleagues would just go for the burn & sleep until 2pm only but by the 4th night, they were total zombies having survived on 4 hours sleep. When we discussed it & I asked them how often they would get up at 2 am & stay up, they realised how ridiculous it was to continue in this way. You are doing all the right things with the light box etc so well done there. Make the most of your days off & enjoy life! I stayed sane but wonder how I did it for so long.

Answer 4

If I do night shifts in winter, or indeed day shifts in winter and start early and finish late and do not get day light, I feel very depressed. Day light is the key. I need 1/2 hours walk in daylight, so it is worth getting up for. If necessary go back to sleep again after your walk if you can. Your light box may help when you get up, but I have never tried that. Eat plenty of fruit and veg. Eat snacks throughout the night to keep your blood sugar up, and less than normal during the day to compensate. Not everyone is suited to night work, so if you still feel bad after trying it may be worth changing your job.

Answer 5

I work 5 nights a week I get off at 6am go to sleep at about 9 wake up at 2:30 and I try to take a nap at around 7 to around 8 so I can be to work at 10, I know the sleep is broken but it lets me spend time with my kids and the hour nap holds me over until the next day, I stay awake during the day on my night off, sleep that night and take a nap before work the next night. it tends to let me have some normal time with family and friends, and the busineses are open when I wakeup.

Answer 6

Sorry, I can work nightshifts and can sleep anytime anywhere. I agree with the previous answer. Staffing in care is abysmal. I was supposed to be a late today and found out yesterday that they needed today and tomorrow nights covering. I have had a morning of training in the new Mental Care Act, so had to be up at six for that. I'll go to bed in about an hour and doze for a few hours then I'll go to work. Tomorrow, I'll be in bed for about nine and just sleep.

Answer 7

Hi, I am a support worker in a care home for old people with Alzheimers, and we have to provide 24 hour care. However, it is difficult to get staff because of low pay etc. So I regularly start work at 8am, work till 5pm, go home, sleep for 2 hours, then go back to work from 9pm till 8am and start all over again. My body clock is all over the place. In fact I often don't know what day it is. Sorry, but this is not answering your question.

Answer 8

I used to work 12 hour shift 7 at night till seven in the morning, the only person on an industrial site in the middle of winter, punching figures into excel.... was absolute hell!
The only advice I can give you is try and keep your times similar, fake lunch time, fake tea time etc. Listen to any talk shows on the radio as much as you can, and if possible, try not to do the job! Night shift work is vile and should be illegal if you ask me!!!

Answer 9

i work nite shift 7-7 3 days week .normally goto bed when working @9am get up at 2-3pm.when i finish my last shift i try to get about 2 hours kip then my body will want to sleep at a normal time like 11-2 good luck. if its effecting your health talk to your doctor ,a mate of mine did this and he go change to day shift jammy fucker lol

Answer 10

My fella works nights, and he is almost human, except at the end of the week when hes tired!
He goes to bed at about 9am each morning and gets up at 4, then when he finishes at 6am on saturday morning he doesnt go to bed, just stays awake untill saturday night. Granted, hes not the happiest chappy but hes bareable!!!!
I think he has just got used to it, he has done it for 30 years!