You work nights?

[sobrbiker883]

I finally got a decent job after being laid off forever, but I'm going to be working 8p-630a.
For those in similar shifts, is it better to try to get he majority of sleep after a shift or prior to?

-just glad to have a good job, its been a rough couple of years.

 

[Mr blasty]

Re: You work nights?

This is Mr. Blasty's girlfriend..

I've worked overnights (10p-7a) for about 4 years now.. I'm usually awake for a few hours after work, go to sleep around 9am (or so, depending on the day) and wake up around 4-5 (depending on the day). If I have a night off and have something planned during the next day I'll sleep during the night, but take a couple hour long nap before I go in to work.
The problem is that I usually have to be asleep by the time anything opens, and I'm waking up around the time anything closes. Having a life is pretty much non-existent while working the overnight shift.. I have all the time in the world but it's worthless because everything's closed/no one's awake when I'm awake.

 

[JRose]

Re: You work nights?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mr blasty</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'm usually awake for a few hours after work, go to sleep around 9am (or so, depending on the day) and wake up around 4-5 (depending on the day) </div></div>

Shouldn't you be asleep....

 

[Graham]

Re: You work nights?

Some people find the night shift easier than do others. I could never really get used to it.

Rotating LE shifts are the worst. A standard shift schedule that doesn't change works better for most.

Make a completely dark room so that you can sleep properly during the day when you get home.

Pick a sleep schedule and stick to it. Don't try to re-adjust your schedule to being awake during the day and sleeping at night unless you have more than three days off in which to adjust.

 

[longaction]

Re: You work nights?

I go to work at 7:00pm and get off at 6:30am. I am usually awake till 10:00am and sleep till 4:00pm. On the weekends i try to sleep on my wife and daughters schedule. Mondays are my worst day as far as sleep goes. I work monday night thru thursday night. good luck with new job!

 

[DaveV]

Re: You work nights?

Congrats on you new job.

 

[Mr blasty]

Re: You work nights?

Nope.. I got the night off so I got to sleep during the night like a normal person last night

 

[ssgp2]

Re: You work nights?

I have to hit the bed within an hour of getting home from work or I can't fall asleep.

I try to eat within 2 hours before going to bed, so I don't wake up because I'm hungry.

Dark and quiet bedroom is a must.

You might have digestion problems because the body is confused.
Eat lighter and more often.

A hot shower will relax your body help you sleep better.

 

[boom2336]

Re: You work nights?

I worked nights for 2 years. 1 year of that was spent in Iraq. The shitty part was when I was tryng to sleep during the day they would shut down the generators to PM them. Sweatting so bad in the rack it feels like flies crawling all over really helps ya out.

Congrats on the job bro

 

[tacticalrifleman]

Re: You work nights?

Congrats on the job sobr. I have been working second shift for probably 20 years now with some 3rd and first mixed in a bit. on the shift from 10p to 6a I always tried to go to bed within an hour of getting home, then get up at 1p or 2p. It was like having a whole day to do whatever you wanted then go to work. It's what worked for me. YMMV

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: You work nights?

I work nights occasionally with my job, sometimes the scope of the job requires 24 hr presence. I hate it! But typically I sleep from around 1:00pm to 5:30 6:00 pm and then go into work, I have a very hard time going to sleep if the sun has come up. I just cant convince my body that its bedtime, so I usually dont sleep much when I get off work in the morning.
On a good note, my job also entails some VERY easy work at times, and my 12 hr shift can be spent "resting" in a semi horizontal position.In which case I get off work in the morning and grab my rifle, and head out to explore the countryside of the particular state I'm working in. Had some real good times.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: You work nights?

thanks for the tips folks, keep 'em coming.

Fortunately it's easy-ish work, but I'll be operating a vehicle on the public streets (sweeper-but hey its gov't work!) so even if it gets boring I gotta stay on my toes.

I was considering sleeping prior to shift to have more of a natural "get up and go to work" experience, but we'll see how it goes.

 

[-=boone=-]

Re: You work nights?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was considering sleeping prior to shift to have more of a natural "get up and go to work" experience, but we'll see how it goes.</div></div>

This works best for me.

 

[Bacarrat]

Re: You work nights?

Back when I went to college and had a full time job, I slept until it was time to wake up and go to work. But then again, my schedule consisted of 11pm-7AM, school from 8-1. Get home and do some homework. Go to sleep at 3-4PM. That was a rough year. The next year my schedule got a little better. School from 8-1, work from 3-11 and go home from work and do homework to about 1am.

 

[oldgrayone]

Re: You work nights?

Try to keep your self/body in a natural cycle such as you stated. Sleep, go to work, do stuff after work. Even though the hours are different you normal cycle will give you more restful sleep. I was a shift worker for 15 years and returned to day shift in the late 90's. To this day it is still very easy to screw up my sleep pattern if I take a afternoon nap on the wrong day of the week and it takes a good week to correct it.

There also some good sites to look at for workers that work other than day shift. They have good info on how to have a some what normal routine on days off so you don't lose contact with the day shift world. Do a google and you will find loads of good info.

Congrats on the new job and good luck.

 

[fockell]

Re: You work nights?

I always slept in the AM while things were quiet and everyone else was working. Woke up about 5pm, stayed up for dinner and then took a little cat-nap before work. I loved it, I would go back to 3rd in a heartbeat!

 

[smokshwn]

Re: You work nights?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I was considering sleeping prior to shift to have more of a natural "get up and go to work" experience, but we'll see how it goes.

</div></div>

Regardless of the shift times, this is the best option that I had found. For the hours you're talking I found it best to get off work, got to the gym, run errands, clean up the house etc. and by that time it was usually time to get some food and get to bed.

Follow the advice of those above concerning making a quiet dark place to sleep. If you have trouble getting to sleep in the middle of the day, develop a pattern to get into bed and read something easy that doesn't take too much thought. As soon as it makes you sleepy put it down and crash.

 

[neeley205]

Re: You work nights?

I get off work around 5-6am a few days a week. I prefer to try to pass out by 7ish so that I can get up and have some daylight and normal functionality. I tried going to bed a little later but you sleep the entire day away (especially in winter). The big problem I had with that is months go by like weeks and you can't even really account for the time that has passed.

 

[rdinak]

Re: You work nights?

It took me over a couple years to find a second career. After a long time..my wife and I are both working Mon-Fri day time jobs again. I am grateful to have a job and even more grateful to have the same shift as my wife.

When I used to work 3rd shft..what worked best for me was to rush home and get in bed before the sun came up and my bodies clock reset. Room darkening shades, ear plugs and eye covers go a long way towards getting quality sleep.

Best to you..

 

[hankpac]

Re: You work nights?

on a normal day-shift pattern, you get up just before you go to work, shower eat and leave for work. Then on arrival home, you have supper, relax, hobby a bit, hit the sack in order to have a reasonable amount of rest, unless you are abusing yourself by staying up late.
In order to work night shift, it is best for your health to completely switch over to a "night for day" pattern, including days off, and weekends. Same as day shift only at night, Arise just before work, get to bed at a time to allow 6-8 hours of sleep. Dark room, Quiet.
Switching back and forth, especially what is called shift work (progressing from days to pm's to nights) is very harmful. It is even worse going in reverse order, or jumping from one to another doing reliefs.
Completely switching over is fine, difficult, but it will work.
Review web site catering to medical personnel, as shift work is discussed a lot, and has even been studied. I know classes on this very subject are given during some Medical conferences.
Good luck, and don't bump any cars.

 

[konabully]

Re: You work nights?

When I first started working graveyard shifts, it was a bitch for the first couple of weeks. I put tin foil on the inside of the bedroom windows to keep the room dark. I still had enough adrenaline right after work that I couldn't sleep when I got home so I stayed up a bit, would have breakfast with the wife (my dinner time). After that, she'd go to work, I'd work ou & take a shower, then hit the rack by 9-10-ish until about 5-ish and have dinner (my breakfast) when the wife got home. On my "weekends", I managed to get up at normal waking hours so I didn't miss out on anything with family & friends. It takes some time to get used to but your body can adapt. However, if you work LE, going to court and working on your weekends can play hell with your sleep and personal time.

 

[Doc Holiday13]

Re: You work nights?

I work nights. It sucks for trying to have a social life, so I occasionally take a shift from a.swing shift guy and work a double. he takes my shift on another day and we both end up with an extra day off without loosing hours.

 

[Scott E White]

Re: You work nights?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oldgrayone</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Try to keep your self/body in a natural cycle such as you stated. Sleep, go to work, do stuff after work. Even though the hours are different you normal cycle will give you more restful sleep.</div></div>

This used to work for me, as well. Only negative impact was sacrificing the personal relationships already established. Family and most friends were on a more conventional schedule, and socializing while I was sleeping. Plus- side of this was more time to/for myself.
How that will all work out for you depends most on your personal/family relationships. Best of luck, and congrats on the new job!

 

[Iamironman]

Re: You work nights?

I work a swing shift, 3 days on, 3 days off rotating days to nights and vice versa after every 3 days off. Shift is 7-7.

When I work nights, I'm usually in bed within 30-45 minutes of getting home. Fortunately I only live 10 minutes from work, so I'm in bed by 8am. I set my alarm for 2:30. However on my first day off, I set my alarm for 11:30am this way I find it easier to fall asleep that night.

 

[remiglockoholic]

Re: You work nights?

I worked mids shift, 11-7am deal for a few months then swings 3-11pm then back to days 7-3pm, and what I've found that works is getting up atleast 1 1/2 to 2hrs prior to shift, eat, shower, shave(this will open your pores and make you wake up once you get outside) eat a high protein lower fat meal like eggs, with a piece or two of bacon, fruits, peanut butter and some sort of oatmeal or other multi grain that won't give you the heavy tired feeling. Drink plenty of fluids so your not sluggish preferably something with a natural sugar and no caffeine or you"ll crash mid day.. and lastly do some type of exercise to raise your heart rate whether its 20 or 200 pushups to get your body prepared to do work and not rest while the moon is up.

Quick summary: start drinking fluid soon as you wake up, don't ignore your usual morning routine of shower and shaving it makes a huge difference in how alert you are, light meals all throughout your shift ignore soda and other quick pick me ups, exercise throughout day a stretch here a jumping jack there goes a long way. And lastly don't ride with the windows up get fresh air in the mix. Best of luck congrats on getting back into the work force..

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: You work nights?

Thanks for all the good stuff folks!

I'm definitely gonna have to get into a routine-most likely going to be a sleeping prior to work. Wife works regular hours and we have a bordeline hoarder pack of rescued pooches that are on an morning food schedule.

I think the biggest challenge I'm gonna have is that I have four ten hour days-the three days are a long time to stay in a pattern, when everything I wan to do on my days off isn't overnight stuff.

Good thing I guess that I usually only sleep 5-6 hours......shouldn't be too hard to squeeze that in.

 

[260shtr]

Re: You work nights?

Soberbiker883 Congrats on the job. I did 11-7 for 8 years, I always tried to get to bed by 8 A.M. unless I had something to do. Be up by the time the kids and wife got home. I always thought it best to be at my best for the family and work could have whats left. Also had alot of days with 3-4 hrs of sleep, you get used to it.

 

[LSOSGT1109]

Re: You work nights?

I work 2000-0600 and I prefer to get in bed as soon as I get home. I'm usually back up by noon. Not a huge amount of sleep but after 15 years on the night shift, I've gotten use to it! The advantage I have is that unless something happens close to the end of my shift that keeps me out, I can be at home taking my uniform off by 0600. It really helps me get to sleep if I can be in bed before daylight!

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: You work nights?

I worked straight midnight shift (11p-7a) for 10 years. The best things that worked for me was a radio off the channel for static sound (they now make sound machines with different types of sounds) and before room darkening shades, we hung a blanket over the windows to darken the room. Winter isn't too bad. But summer time will have you sitting up in the daylight and not able to go to sleep. I always tried to go straight to sleep after I took the kids to school.

Good luck.

 

[sixfiveguy]

Re: You work nights?

No, No, No, you got it all wrong, you sleep at work, and play all day....

I have been working shift work for the last 12 years. It works best for me to get in the sack right when I get home in the a.m.

I work 12hr shifts, 4 on, 4 off. My first and last shifts are the worst because I usually end up being up for 30+ hours. Graveyard shift isn't somethimg you get used to...........

Luck with the new job!

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: You work nights?

I like the static idea, I'll have to give that a try (since i was trying to sleep, but am typing this I obviously am not dialed in yet

)

 

[kbrady]

Re: You work nights?

Of the 14 years I have worked in a factory setting, 12 of those have been at night. Your body will have to adjust to not sleeping at night like a normal human being but its not all that bad. Best thing is if you are sleepy when you get home, you can go to sleep. On the other hand, if you need to run errands, work on something, have sex or whatever, you have time to do that and still get a good amount of sleep. The biggest problem I had was getting tied up doing stuff and then trying to force myself to lay down and get some sleep....that never works out good. Just let your body tell you when its time for bed! Try different eating schedules to see what works best for you as well. As far as background noise, a TV on either in the bedroom, or another room worked the best for me.

Congrats on the job, need anymore advice let us know.

Kelly

 

[whitetailnut]

Re: You work nights?

I started a 3rd shift job (10:30-6:30) 15 months ago. I had worked 1st shift for 20 years prior. I have found that it is easier for me to stay up till 11am or so in the mornings and sleep till around 7-8pm in the evenings before going in.

It makes it a lot easier for me to stay up all day on my first day off instead of being up all night. I tried the getting up at 3-4pm in the evenings but found that by 10:30 I had to make myself want to go into work, plus on my first day off by 3-4pm I'd already been up 24 hrs and usually felt like sh!t. The other way it takes till 8pm to have been up 24 hrs and by then its time to hit the sack anyway.

3rd does have its advantages as far as going to the range, hunting, fishing and so on. Other than the retired most everyone else is at work in the mornings!

 

[Switchblade]

Re: You work nights?

Graves were always my favorite shift. I always made teh schedule about the same as a normal one. Wake up, have coffee, eat 'breakfast'(dinner was being served at this time), shower, dress, and go to work. Get home around 0730 or so, watch a little TV, have a brew eat dinner(breakfast was being served) and go to bed. It only takes about a week to get into it right, and by two weeks it's normal. The toughest part is finding a place that is open at 0700 that will serve you a beer. Fortunately back when I was doing this in Nor-Cal, Gene's Place was open and filled with grave workers shooting pool and haveing a beer or two. I am sure there are seedy places where the real drinkers congregate early in the morning too...oh shit, forgot...
sober, DOH!
Graves are fun. The vampire life is about the same as any other although weekends are tougher if family wants you to hold their schedule

 

[smokshwn]

Re: You work nights?

A simple room fan works great for creating white noise...also nice to keep the room cooler which always helps me sleep from a comfort standpoint as well.

 

[sootstorm]

Re: You work nights?

I get home about 5-6am sleep til 9-10am to get rid of sleepiness. Get something to eat and everything is open to run errands. Then get back to sleep around noon and sleep til 6pm when the wife gets home, for dinner with her and the kids.

 

[sootstorm]

Re: You work nights?

Really like the commute to work though. Finding it harder to drive in traffic on the weekends.