Adapting to Night Shift patterns
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Adapting to Night Shift patterns
Hi all,
Seeing as there is a high possibility that I will be starting a new job soon, which will involve night shifts, I'm wondering have you got any advice/tips for doing this type of work; other than the obvious of catching up on sleep during the day?
How do you cope with it?
Cheers
Spike
Seeing as there is a high possibility that I will be starting a new job soon, which will involve night shifts, I'm wondering have you got any advice/tips for doing this type of work; other than the obvious of catching up on sleep during the day?
How do you cope with it?
Cheers
Spike
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When i worked night shift for a handling agent I tried to rest as much as possible during the day leading up to the shift. After the shift I tried to stay awake for as long as possible and hit the sack in the early getting up around 2000 for a 2200 start. This would suffice for the week. On the day after the last shift try to stay awake till the evening this will allow you to adapt back to the normal sleeping pattern.
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I worked the nightshift for a few years and found that my sleeping habits required a lot of discipline.
I would try to sleep as late as possible the morning (into the afternoon if possible) before my first shift. This helped me somewhat to make it through the first night. I do have to admit that I found Night 1 to be the hardest. After shift, I would sleep from the time I got home, say 8:30am until about 3pm. It seemed adequate most days.
Also, I found it important to deprive youreslf of sleep after your last shift otherwise you wouldn't be tired that evening. For example, sleep from 8:30am only 'til noon. I'd be a bit groggy for the rest of the day however I would be tired that night which was good. This would make the transition from working nights to sleeping nights better.
Other than that, I suggest earplugs, eye blinders, and a waterbed.
Staying busy at work also helps.
Good luck
3my
I would try to sleep as late as possible the morning (into the afternoon if possible) before my first shift. This helped me somewhat to make it through the first night. I do have to admit that I found Night 1 to be the hardest. After shift, I would sleep from the time I got home, say 8:30am until about 3pm. It seemed adequate most days.
Also, I found it important to deprive youreslf of sleep after your last shift otherwise you wouldn't be tired that evening. For example, sleep from 8:30am only 'til noon. I'd be a bit groggy for the rest of the day however I would be tired that night which was good. This would make the transition from working nights to sleeping nights better.
Other than that, I suggest earplugs, eye blinders, and a waterbed.
Staying busy at work also helps.
Good luck
3my
Last edited by mymymy; 13th Feb 2005 at 00:02.
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I am from the Engineering side of things, and, of course, the vast majority of our work is carried out at night. Most companies work 12hr shifts, two days two nights – “four off” in inverted commas as first day off is spent recovering and is to all intents and purposes useless, I liken it to jet lag.
My shift nominally is seven to seven, but, in a supervisory role, is extended by about half an hour by the need for a handover at either end of the working day.
I have been doing this all my working life. I find the points made by 3my to be quite accurate and how I approached shift work when I was younger.
As age takes it’s toll I find that for the first night I am better getting up at a relatively normal time about 08.30 and then, after a light lunch, returning to the pit at about 14.00 for three to three and a half hours sleep.
After shift virtually straight to bed say 07.30 and sleep for as long as possible, this is rarely any later than 15.00 and is usually broken at some stage due to bladder pressure.
The comment about sleep deprivation after the last night is well made although most I know don’t achieve much on the first day off.
Longer periods of nights under this regime are no problem although changing to ‘normal’ is harder, you might get two days of ‘jet lag’
I also endorse earplugs, especially if the house is occupied while trying to sleep, and eye shades, although I have a preference for blackout curtains.
My shift nominally is seven to seven, but, in a supervisory role, is extended by about half an hour by the need for a handover at either end of the working day.
I have been doing this all my working life. I find the points made by 3my to be quite accurate and how I approached shift work when I was younger.
As age takes it’s toll I find that for the first night I am better getting up at a relatively normal time about 08.30 and then, after a light lunch, returning to the pit at about 14.00 for three to three and a half hours sleep.
After shift virtually straight to bed say 07.30 and sleep for as long as possible, this is rarely any later than 15.00 and is usually broken at some stage due to bladder pressure.
The comment about sleep deprivation after the last night is well made although most I know don’t achieve much on the first day off.
Longer periods of nights under this regime are no problem although changing to ‘normal’ is harder, you might get two days of ‘jet lag’
I also endorse earplugs, especially if the house is occupied while trying to sleep, and eye shades, although I have a preference for blackout curtains.
