Just wondering if any of you all work midnights???

[jacks'thunder]

I was just courious because I started midnight about 6 weeks ago and man I'm haveing a tough time adjusting. I started out with 2 nights but now thay have bumped me up to 4 nights and I'm beat. I feel like I can't get anything done with out Mountian dew or a pot of coffiee. I only sleep about 3-5 hours here and there all broken up. And when I just get to feeling like I'm ok it's back to the grind! LOL!

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions to help me adjust or will it just take time?

Thanks ahead of time for the replies!!!

Leya

 

[Reble]

Sorry I think the younger you are the easier it is.

I could not work 11- 7 tried it once and would fall asleep coming home.... Not safe....

Hubby says try to go to bed as soon as you get home, ear plugs...sorry not much help

 

[vvf]

I am not quite sure what shift you are working, But I have worked a graveyard shift for 15 years... I can honestly say that you never truely get used it.

The hours for my shift are 8:30 pm to around 6:00am.

I think it took me at least 3 months to start to get the hang of sleeping in the daytime.

I find for me that if i keep the radio on low it really helps me sleep, plus i have dark curtains on the windows.

I really have no trouble sleeping in the daytime.

I don't mind these graveyard hours thoughout the week days.. But it really screws me up for the weekends.

I want to be a normal person on the weekends. But i just can't adjust to a normal sleeping schedule on weekends and sleep at night.

After all these years i finally got frustrated and went to my doctor and she prescribed me sleeping pills.

Now i don't suggest this for everyone, (i truely do not believe in taking pills), but for me, this has helped me.

I only take a sleeping pill on Saturday night and one on sunday night, just so i can sleep through the night like a normal person lol.

A overnight shift is tough and not for everyone, I actually can't believe i am still doing it after all these years.

 

[tigeresss]

I know many people who work afternoon (i.e. 4pm till 1am) and graveyard shifts. Nearly all of them love it, except when they have to switch to mornings. It has been proven that short rotations of shifts (i.e. four mornings then four nights) is very bad for you and actually causes early death. By the fourth day your body is only just getting used to the schedule and then it gets changed up. What's best is AT LEAST eight nights then eight mornings. Although I do know a few guys who work one month on mornings, one month on nights and so on with about a week or so off inbetween shift changes. That works very well for them as the body gets quite used to it.

Some people just aren't cut out for shift work, whereas others love it. I know quite a few people who refuse to work 9-5 jobs and instead only want their shift work!

I don't have much advice for you other than trying to get into a routine/pattern.

 

[Miniv]

I'm going by memory here..........I used to work in a situation where I had to put " a paper to bed"..... Newspaper, that is.....

I do think I survived because I was YOUNGER........Watching what I ate (no beef or turkey) helped........AND, we were provided a radio and stereo with good high tempo music to keep us going!!!

If it took us til 3 or 4 AM..........we somehow managed to keep going! Not sure how, really........

MA

 

[minimule]

I used to work the night shift. When I first started it was 9pm to 9am. THAT was hard. About 3am you hit a brick wall and still have 6 hours to go

OH! . They switched it to 7 to 7 after a few years then 6 to 6. I was so glad to get off nights and work a day shift. My first day off, I slept like the dead all day and that night too.

Some tricks I learned:

Dark curtains on bedroom windows.

Turn the phones OFF.

A sound machine or whatever "noise" that will cover other noises.

Stay up as late as you can on your first morning off. It helps to sleep that night. It is very hard on your body to switch back and forth. Try adding working under yellow lights all the time.

You can PM me if you want to know more.

 

[alongman]

I love my night shifts! I found that I sleep best when I use my iPod so I have soothing music and my room darkening shades. On those days that I can't sleep, I have used Valerian root (a natural supplement) with great success. Most importantly though, I stay on my "night hours" even on my days off - that way there is no flip-flopping.

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=12pt]my father worked midnights for 25 + years and my husband did for a few years. my father did a lot of research over the years going to seminars and all. he talked about circadian rythme. (try doing a search for that) when my husband first started that shift I remember my father telling him not to eat during the shift, that it would mess with your body and make it harder to adjust. Hubby did better once he stopped eating. I don't think 4 days is long enough for your body either

. wish I could be more of a help, I did that shift for about 2 months years ago and just could not do it. good luck, Nikki[/SIZE]

 

[anoki]

I used to work a 3 shift rotation....one week midnights (11-7), next week afternoons (3-11), next week days (7-3) and then start the whole thing over again....I HATED it!! You'd just get used to the shift you were on, then you'd switch. I then went to working 2 shifts days 7-3:30 & afternoons was 3:30-12:00 (and then we switched it so we only had to work 4 days on afternoons....THAT was the best!!!! We did 4 days of 3:30 PM - 2:00 AM...I loved that shift).

I was on a straight midnight shift twice. The first time was for at least 6 months.....the second time was only 3 maybe 4 months....I did better on it the first time I did it!

I loved that shift the first time I was on it, but I had a lot less going on in life (ie no boyfriend) the first time around.....

The second time I was always tired, always cranky....I did not enjoy it!!!!

I always made sure I had the radio on, blinds drawn, cut out as much light as I could, and I started turning a fan on, which I found helped tremendously.....mind you, I didn't have any problem sleeping during the day....but the first shift I always found the worst because I wanted to be a normal person too on the weekend, so I would go in on Sunday night with no sleep.....

But I do agree, not everyone is cut out for midnights....

~kathryn

 

[Sonya]

I don't think you ever adjust...it's just not what the body is suppose to do. I worked midnights for a couple years and no matter how much I slept, I never felt rested, even if I got a full 8 hrs. It's tough...Doug's dad has worked midnights for many years and all he ever does is sleep, but he's still tired (and grouchy!)...I hope you don't have to do it for long, it's just not healthy.

 

[runamuk]

I love my night shifts! I found that I sleep best when I use my iPod so I have soothing music and my room darkening shades. On those days that I can't sleep, I have used Valerian root (a natural supplement) with great success. Most importantly though, I stay on my "night hours" even on my days off - that way there is no flip-flopping.

My husband did nights for a while and it was harder on me than him

Like mentioned above you really need to keep the schedule even on your days off.

My sister worked over nights in the hospital for years she still pulls a few on ocasion to cover people and she also kept her schedule the same on her days off.

Until I had kids I was a true night owl and it has been very difficult for me to change my natural rythym over the years.........

 

[jacks'thunder]

Thanks everyone for the sugestions! It's 10:30 to 6:30 shift of doing stock so alot of heavy lifting and bending and walking on concrete. I'm just exhausted. When I got home after the last 4 night set all I did was cry. I was just so drained, I could not function. I like the work but maybe if they could cut my nights back to 2or 3 I'd be ok. The goal is to pay off some bills then get some money put away but the bad part is I'm finding such good deals in the older discontinued stock! I just got 4 king size comforters and a childrens 2 wheel bike for 38.00!!! To good of a deal to pass up! LOL! OH!

I'll just go with the flow for now and take the wonderful advice you all gave to me!!

Thanks!!

Leya

 

[Connie P]

Leya,

Like I told you the other day, I worked midnights for about 7 months. That's all this old body could take of it! Yes 3 a.m. seems to be the magical hour that your eyes want to close and not reopen. After working 14 nights in a row, I slept for two days straight and when I woke up I was totally confused as to what day, time, etc......... it was. That is the day I decided that working midnights was not for me.