Sleep..or lack of.
Discussion
What is the longest you have went without sleep? Currently on day 2 with 6/7 hrs kip in the 48 hrs.
I have another night shift coming up from 7pm-4am. Then days off so Friday will be a write off. I've a docs appointment in a bit so no point going for a few hours beforehand. Generally I feel alright - a slight headache but defo not 100% alert - will probably be a zombie after this shift.
Hopefully I'll be used to these shifts soon!!
The worst I've had is about 6/7 hours in almost 72 hours a couple of weeks ago. I was very grumpy and irritable. I average 4-6 hours a night give or take an hour due to having stupid shift patterns and not being able to adapt to the changes. I tend to drive all over the country to play gigs on my days off too which doesn't help. Been doing it for 5 months now so pretty used to feeling like crap more often than not and I only have to stick it out until February then it all changes and I should be getting normal people sleeping hours!
I've got friends who complain if they don't get 8-9 hours sleep, I guess everyone is different.
I've got friends who complain if they don't get 8-9 hours sleep, I guess everyone is different.
I did 38/40 hours without any sleep when travelling back to UK in May.
I know from experience that if I can get through a night without sleep once it gets to about my normal waking up time I feel okay.
I've found its better to do this than get that horrible 2/3/4 hours sleep that you try for when you have to get up at 04:00 to get to the airport.
First 24 hours therefore is fine but I was feeling very thirsty (despite lots of water), dry eyes and a slight headache before I hit the sack.
Any longer than this and I think I would really start to feel it!
I know from experience that if I can get through a night without sleep once it gets to about my normal waking up time I feel okay.
I've found its better to do this than get that horrible 2/3/4 hours sleep that you try for when you have to get up at 04:00 to get to the airport.
First 24 hours therefore is fine but I was feeling very thirsty (despite lots of water), dry eyes and a slight headache before I hit the sack.
Any longer than this and I think I would really start to feel it!
I worked an odd shift pattern for 3 years, alternating 12hr nights and days, it left me unable to sleep properly if I stay awake past the point of real sleepiness.
We had to log the work we carried out for the next shift to reference and it was not unusual to find what you had written made no sense, despite being checked by the shift leader.
The dry eyes, wooziness, exhaustion, upset digestion and disruption to family life were too high a price to pay for the increased wages, looking back I wish I had never taken the job.
Some of the guys could go for a week on minimal sleep but I was never comfortable with it, especially as slamming doors, revving cars, lawnmowers, faulty alarms, barking dogs, yelling kids and unsolicited phone calls made sure daytime sleep was hard to achieve.
We had to log the work we carried out for the next shift to reference and it was not unusual to find what you had written made no sense, despite being checked by the shift leader.
The dry eyes, wooziness, exhaustion, upset digestion and disruption to family life were too high a price to pay for the increased wages, looking back I wish I had never taken the job.
Some of the guys could go for a week on minimal sleep but I was never comfortable with it, especially as slamming doors, revving cars, lawnmowers, faulty alarms, barking dogs, yelling kids and unsolicited phone calls made sure daytime sleep was hard to achieve.
I used to work on breakfast radio and the 4.40am starts killed me. In the summer you'd be going to bed when it was still bright and sunny outside and your neighbours were enjoying a BBQ, which made me feel like I was 7 years old.
The thing I found the most difficult was getting into a good habit at the start of the week and often if I'd had a lie in on a Sunday I would often just lie there, not feeling remotely tired, staring at the ceiling from about 9pm until the alarm went off, getting more and more frustrated at the hours ticking down until I would have to get up.
I'd then be powered by nothing but adrenalin and Nespresso throughout the show and subsequently when I got home late on Monday morning I would crash out on the sofa and often be still there when my wife got home at 6pm. Vicious circle of then sleeping effectively through the day and being up all night. Can't say I miss it!
The thing I found the most difficult was getting into a good habit at the start of the week and often if I'd had a lie in on a Sunday I would often just lie there, not feeling remotely tired, staring at the ceiling from about 9pm until the alarm went off, getting more and more frustrated at the hours ticking down until I would have to get up.
I'd then be powered by nothing but adrenalin and Nespresso throughout the show and subsequently when I got home late on Monday morning I would crash out on the sofa and often be still there when my wife got home at 6pm. Vicious circle of then sleeping effectively through the day and being up all night. Can't say I miss it!
Edited by bennyboydurham on Wednesday 27th August 01:49
I can't say exactly but it would be days rather than hours. I remember the culmination of a training exercise (Army) where we'd been at it constantly for nigh on a week with only snatched sleep here and there. At endex we had a quick parade before getting on the 4 tonners to get back to barracks, guys were falling asleep standing up and staying asleep after they'd hit the deck.
We piled into our maggots (sleeping bags) in the back of the 4t, were piled three deep and everyone was asleep within seconds - nothing woke us even though we were still driving cross-country for a good half hour before we hit the roads.
Never been that tired in my life.
It's amazing how the body can keep going but as soon as the pressure is off - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
We piled into our maggots (sleeping bags) in the back of the 4t, were piled three deep and everyone was asleep within seconds - nothing woke us even though we were still driving cross-country for a good half hour before we hit the roads.
Never been that tired in my life.
It's amazing how the body can keep going but as soon as the pressure is off - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
I've just resigned from the Police, can't say I am going to miss night shifts, or all of the shifts for that matter!! The shift work absolutely killed me.
Left to myself I would get up about 10am, go to bed about 1 or 2am. Before 10am and after 2am, I am destroyed.
My top tip - use over the counter sleeping tablets that make you a bit drowsy to help you get into the swing of the shift patterns. They help to block out the noises you get in the daytime, like deliveries, phones ringing, traffic etc. Wish I'd discovered them sooner.
Left to myself I would get up about 10am, go to bed about 1 or 2am. Before 10am and after 2am, I am destroyed.
My top tip - use over the counter sleeping tablets that make you a bit drowsy to help you get into the swing of the shift patterns. They help to block out the noises you get in the daytime, like deliveries, phones ringing, traffic etc. Wish I'd discovered them sooner.
I used to work a 1 in 6 pattern so every 6th week would be on-call from Friday 9am to Monday 4pm. The on-call would be busy enough that more than a couple of hours here and there was rare.
Friday nights were fine as adrenaline kept me going, and they were often the busiest of the 3 nights. Saturday day wouldn't be bad but by Saturday night it was a struggle. Sunday daytime was dangerous and by Sunday night I'd have a nasty headache. Mondays were more tolerable as I knew the next person on was only hours away and Tuesday would be off before a normal day shift on Wednesday.
Friday nights were fine as adrenaline kept me going, and they were often the busiest of the 3 nights. Saturday day wouldn't be bad but by Saturday night it was a struggle. Sunday daytime was dangerous and by Sunday night I'd have a nasty headache. Mondays were more tolerable as I knew the next person on was only hours away and Tuesday would be off before a normal day shift on Wednesday.
You can either work shifts or you cant - no in betweens and if you cant then dont as it will kill you.
You need sleep - even if its only a couple of hours if you dont then it can have a negative impact. and you can drop off to sleep without knowing it. Not a good idea on the outside lane of the M6
You need sleep - even if its only a couple of hours if you dont then it can have a negative impact. and you can drop off to sleep without knowing it. Not a good idea on the outside lane of the M6
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