Night Shift For Newbies

Thank you for your great article. When I worked full-time nights, before I had a husband and kids, I usually stayed up until about noon. Then I slept 'til about 7 or 8 pm. In the olden days before cell phones, I sometimes took my phone off the hook in another room. When I had kids, I slept during the day, and frequently took a nap after they went to bed. It also depends on the shifts - 8 or twelve hours - what time you need to be there, etc.Trying to eat normally and not snacking all night is very important. Keep hydrated. Again, thanks for addressing this topic.!

I get a really good nights sleep the night before I do a night shift. Then I will nap from 2-5. Have dinner. and Nap again from 6:30-9pm. I'll have a snack and a cup of coffee and go to work. I sleep from 9-3 and 6:30-9 if I have to be back at work that night. If I don't I'll sleep from 9-5 and go to bed as usual that night. I've cut back on the snacks. I bring fruit, and those special k chips, and I'll have water. If I feel myself sinking around 4am. I'll have juice and an ice cream and that wakes me back up.

Disconnect your doorbell! Or at least leave a laminated note that asks uninvited visitors to schedule an appointment prior to knocking. This has the bonus of ridding you of salespeople on your days off too!

We disable our doorbell. Also, I'll throw in my suggestion to have white noise - a fan, a white noise machine, etc. That has been my saving grace, even more so than earplugs. I have two fans; I turn them both on high, and I don't hear lawnmowers, noisy kids, company if we get any, or anything else but my alarm. My fans practically eliminated the need for earplugs.

I had blackout curtains, earplugs, and a death threat out to my family if they disturbed me. I really miss night shift. I had time to actually calm restless patients, give a few backrubs, lotion some feet, and TALK to them. I studied some when I went back to school too. Best of all, running errands, shopping, and dentist/Dr appointments were never a problem and the stores were never crowded.

The bright side of night shift-the marathon of a 12 hour shift is a pleasant jog most of the time, instead of the 6 hour morning sprint then the 5 hour afternoon sprint broekn up only by the 30 minute break to scarf down lunch. I worked my night shifts at a hospital that served the full dining room menu from 1 am to 3 am.

Don't eat junk food on nights. Your body requires the best nutrition possible - lots of fruit and veggies, yogurt, nuts and seeds, hard cooked eggs, etc. - we need to compensate for the physical challenges of tampering with our circadian rhythms.Also, the drive home includes a LARGE glass of ice water. If I have to pee, I can't fall asleep. :spin:

Working nights, I got very little sun exposure, and was surprised to find out that my Vitamin D level was in the sub-basement, despite the fact that I take Viactiv. You might like to talk to your doctor about taking some extra Vitamin D--it really made me feel a LOT better.

GREAT ARTICLE and oh so true! Wish I could have read something like that when I began my night tour years ago ;?I have worked nights (by choice) for 30 yrs (part time). I love the climate of the hospital.....and it can change a lot in the course of a night. More patient interaction and reassuring (everything is scarier at night!) is a plus. Night shift colleagues are like a big family You have less resources when things get busy, so you really pull together and help each other out. Attitude is EVERYTHING. Listening to your body=of key importance. When I work and sleep.....I WORK AND SLEEP! I don't get up for activities that may interrupt my sleep pattern. You have to find out what works for you and go with it. And a big YES on the Vitamin D idea=necessary.Doing errands/shopping while the rest of the world is working=PRICELESS!Also......something very comforting about EXITING the work place, with your work day successfully behind you and seeing everyone else just beginning theirsLONG LIVE THE NIGHT SHIFT WORLD......LOVE YOU ALL

When I worked nights (not in nursing), the thing that helped me the most was keeping the same hours even on my days off. Long story short: would sleep during the day and stay awake at night. If I had to do something during the day, I either scheduled it before 10am or waited for the late afternoon/early evening. I had tried to go back to a day existence on my days off but I found that I lost not one but two days in trying to transition. So it was easier for me to adapt the vampire existence. However, also keep in mind that I lived in NYC at the time, where it is possible to sleep all day, be awake all night and still have plenty of things to do to make life interesting I love working nights, I just wish my current circumstances would allow it. Oh well.

Great article! I love going shopping at wee hours of the morning (no customers) and getting housework and time to myself when the rest of the world sleeps.As far as converting to sleeping at night with the rest of the family on your off days.......I go straight to work on my last three day stretch, nap for about 3 hrs. Get up, keep myself busy and go to sleep that night with them.

Quote from MeriwhenWhen I worked nights (not in nursing), the thing that helped me the most was keeping the same hours even on my days off. Long story short: would sleep during the day and stay awake at night. If I had to do something during the day, I either scheduled it before 10am or waited for the late afternoon/early evening. I had tried to go back to a day existence on my days off but I found that I lost not one but two days in trying to transition. So it was easier for me to adapt the vampire existence. However, also keep in mind that I lived in NYC at the time, where it is possible to sleep all day, be awake all night and still have plenty of things to do to make life interesting I love working nights, I just wish my current circumstances would allow it. Oh well.