Working nights - any tips for survival?

Suzkin

All being well, I'll be working in a few weeks time. :j

The post is nights: 3 nights 'on' (8pm-8am, or 6pm-6am) and then 3 days & nights 'off'. This pattern is repeated throughout the year, and effectvely is 36 hours over a 4-day week.

Because of this pattern, the my rest days will vary, and so the down-side I am assuming, is that I would be unable to attend any evening class on a regular basis, such as choir, which I love

Can anyone please give me helpful suggestions in preparing for this new regime - since I'll be working throughout the night, and sleeping during the day.

Aspects I'm starting to consider, range from maintaining good health (re. lack of sunlight), keeping up my morale (some of the work is lone-working), to general life-style management, and the ability to have at least one regular 'class' a week (not swimming!)?

Any suggestions, tips or advice?

Thanks in advance.

Oldernotwiser

Black out curtains/blinds in the bedroom and ear plugs.

Gothicfairy

Hubby works 12 hour shifts nights ...One thing that seems to work is breakfast/food before bed. He sleeps better with food in his belly and he also has one or two cans of light beer.
Ear plugs are a must but the curtains depend on how you can sleep. Hubby doesn't mind the light so we never bothered.

Eat evening meal at the same time each day working or not so the body gets use to it.

CPJames19

Coping With Night-Shift Work

NIGHT-SHIFT workers have been found to experience more gastric problems, ulcers, alcoholism, and divorce than do their peers who work days. But research done by Fred Jung, a registered nurse and assistant instructor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, indicates that alteration of sleep patterns may alleviate some of those problems.
Mr. Jung did a sleep study on a group of night-shift employees at an assembly plant. In his sample group, which included both men and women with a mix of production skills, he concluded that shift work itself causes a type of stress.
People in the study suffered symptoms similar to jet lag that seemed to intensify when sleep habits switched back to night sleep during days off. Therefore, Jung concluded, sleep patterns assumed during the workweek are best continued throughout the week, since it takes several days for the body’s biologic rhythms to adjust to a new sleep pattern.
Mr. Jung’s research suggests that sleeping at least a four-hour period on days off during the time customarily used for sleep during the workweek seems to help sustain biologic rhythms. He calls that anchor sleep. Diet, social patterns, and exposure to light were also found to influence shift workers’ adjustment.
Using the information from his research, Mr. Jung has formulated several guidelines for night-shift workers:
✔ Try to sleep during the same time period each day, preferably during the late morning and early afternoon.
✔ Plan your activities around your sleep period.
✔ Do not worry if you cannot always sleep during the preferred time; even a little regular day sleep will be better than none at all.
✔ Eliminate disturbing noises (use earplugs or get a telephone answering device) and sleep in a dark room.
✔ Eat a large, high-protein meal at the beginning of your day. Protein provides a sustained release of energy-producing glucose and will stimulate your adrenal glands to keep you alert. Then eat a moderate-size meal containing protein in the middle of the day and avoid carbohydrate snacks. They may give you a temporary lift but will make you tired an hour or two later. Save the carbohydrates for your last meal of the day. These substances prepare you for restful sleep. However, do not eat immediately before bedtime; you need a couple of hours to digest your food.
✔ Do not drink alcohol as a way of getting sleep. Alcohol deprives you of the type of sleep you need for psychological health and well-being.
✔ When you wake up, put on the lights; or if it is light outside, go out into the daylight, exercise, move around, and talk to people. The activity and light will stimulate your brain and help resynchronize your body to your night-work schedule.
✔ Be good to yourself. Do not compound the stress by living in an unhealthy manner. Including regular exercise, proper diet, and sufficient restful sleep in your daily routine will help you perform, feel, and even look better.
These are the opinions of one researcher. Others may come up with different solutions to the problem.

Source - international journal.

carebabe

a lot of good advice there from CP. i work nightshift and would advise not relying on energy drinks or regular mugs of coffee during shift. loading the system with caffeine can only be detrimental to the quality and amount of sleep during the day. i take in fruit/herbal tea soup bovril etc. in case i do fancy a coffee i allow myself one paper cup of decaff.

penguingirl

I worked nights for a bit (in a hospital) and found that I just had to go straight to bed when I got in from work (8.30ish) and then slept til 4/5. Evenings were as normal as possible, so I spent time with my partner/ family/ friends and had dinner before work. During the night I didn't have really have any caffeine (it made it harder to sleep the next day, but I am quite caffeine sensitive) and I also didn't really eat anything until about 6am when we'd all have toast (and I'd sometimes have one cup of tea).

I found it hardest before your first night and after your last. When I switched onto nights again I'd get up earliesh (7/8) and do normal things in the morning, then try and get 2/3 hours sleep in the afternoon. After my final shift I'd try and stay awake as long as possible (just don't drive!!!) and normally made it through to 7/8pm-ish and that way I was back into my 'daytime' routine.

DCFC79

Ive done nights on 2 occaisons before and not sure if the way i did it was any good or not. I only did hours like 10 till 6/7 and 12 till 8 and when i got home(at 7.30/8.30) id go straight to bed and sleep till maybe 2 or 3 and get up and get some breakfast/lunch then have some dinner aat normal time of 6 then wait till i had to leave for work. I did find i was incredibly tired by the 3rd week so maybe thats down to the routine

cavework

On your last shift , go to bed but only have about 4 hours sleep. You will feel really tired but you will sleep .. get up when the alarm goes off . That night go to bed at a normal time
Night shifts are awful especially if that is all you are doing. School holidays are tough .. invest in some good ear plugs, stick a sign on the door for cold callers etc..
I hated them .. I loved early shifts 6am to 2pm
x

DCFC79

cavework wrote: »

On your last shift , go to bed but only have about 4 hours sleep. You will feel really tired but you will sleep .. get up when the alarm goes off . That night go to bed at a normal time
Night shifts are awful especially if that is all you are doing. School holidays are tough .. invest in some good ear plugs, stick a sign on the door for cold callers etc..
I hated them .. I loved early shifts 6am to 2pm
x

yes 6 am till 2pm is a good shift,
luckily i didnt get anyone at the door eg postman, courier, i wouldnt have got it anyway or did i remove the battery

cavework

DCFC79
Night shift always reminded me of Michael Jacksons thriller ,, 2 am was dead mans zone , your ears used to start ringing and you went onto auto pilot..
Best bit was in the summer sitting in the house with the patio doors open and hearing all the alarms go off in the neighbours houses before you hit the pit after your last night shift.
:T