Shift work - nights

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Discussion

LosingGrip

Original Poster:

7,805 posts

158 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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All going to plan I'm going to be starting a new job in the next six/nine months that involves shift work including nights.

One shift pattern is seven on three off, seven on four off. The last two/three shifts will either be lates (1600-0000) or nights finishing at 0700. Not sure what the other one is likely to be.

After some advice on how's best to cope with nights. I've done a couple over the years, but it's always been a one off and felt terrible the day after.

Thanks smile

JulianHJ

8,733 posts

261 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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I did it for a few years in my early thirties, initially 2 earlies, 2 lates, 2 nights, 4 off - 8/9 hour shifts usually, sometimes much longer. The pattern then got changed for the worse.

My tactic was to try and sleep as much as I could before the first night and as little as possible on my first rest day. It took a lot of getting used to, and when my pattern changed to something less palatable I called it a day, as I felt permanently tired.

Brads67

3,199 posts

97 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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Just in from a nightshift as we speak.
I've done them for 30 yrs, mixed shifts, solid nights for 2 or 3 weeks at a time, and at one point 8 months solid with a few days off here and there.
All 12 hour nights.

At the moment the most I do is 3 in a row so I don't even turn round now and it makes it easier getting on with your time off at the end of the shift pattern.

Any more than 3 and you turn round.

Best tip I could give, eat your normal meals at normal times. It means getting out of bed and eating dinner with the missus or whatever but it helps when you come off nights.

Bottom line though is they are easy enough but are absolutely NOT good for you in the long term.

DuraAce

4,240 posts

159 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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I just did 14 shifts of 1900-0700. Was not in a good place on the last day!
Plan your meals sensibly. Eating /drinking a lot an hour before trying to sleep is not good.

Blackout curtains and ear plugs for sleeping during the day.

CX53

2,964 posts

109 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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I did nights for about 3 years. I was only early twenties at the time but it damn near killed me. I would recommend you do everything you can to work a normal dayshift and scrap the night shifts unless it’s just short term.

Mabbs9

1,072 posts

217 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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We're all different but I'd suggest resisting caffeine. Short term boost,but for me at least, made me feel bad later in the shift.

Good luck with the new job.

Gary C

12,312 posts

178 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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On for two 12 hour night shifts starting tonight.

I do 2x12hr days then straight into 2x12hr nights followed by 5 days off.

I find these days that I come back from the first night shift and go straight to bed, when I wake up at about 13:30, I get up for an hour, have a bite to eat and importantly, have a drink (its so easy to get dehydrated), then go back to bed about 14:30-15:00. I find that i sleep until the alarm goes off at 18:00 to get into work for 19:00.

If i tried to sleep through, I would invariably get a headache.

Eat properly during your shift. You can try to stay hydrated, but it doesnt seem to work, just end up getting up every 5 minutes when trying to sleep.

It has got harder as I have got older (been working on shift for the last 20 years), but the best bit is the lack of the bad type of stress. When handover is done, its someone elses problem, which is nice.

young_bairn

714 posts

175 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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Worked nights for over 10 years on offshore rotas and now onshore.

I do 2 weeks 12 hour night shifts followed by 2 weeks leave. Generally no issues sleeping during the day. Black out curtains and ear plugs generally mean at least 5-7 hours sleep is accomplished with the odd piss/delivery man/dog/ mrs waking me up.

Don't mind feeling st at work so try and get on with it. eat and drink as normal as I can. Try and do some exercise.

Changing back after 2 weeks though is hard. It seems to be a lottery on how the body recovers. Had a terrible time finishing on the 1st of Jan , not sleeping right for around 5 days.
I have tried herbal sleeping aids, getting pissed, doing exercise etc. i'd say doing exercise late in the evening seems to work best. Keeps you awake and tires you out.

Belle427

8,854 posts

232 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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I always tried to get up at midday after an 18:00 to 0600 shift and at least do something in the afternoon.
Everyone has different plans, some people I worked with slept all day long!

LosingGrip

Original Poster:

7,805 posts

158 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
CX53 said:
I did nights for about 3 years. I was only early twenties at the time but it damn near killed me. I would recommend you do everything you can to work a normal dayshift and scrap the night shifts unless it’s just short term.
Start of a 35 year career...likely to all have nights in it ha.

Thanks for the advice. Bit of trail and error needed it seems.

Tango13

8,395 posts

175 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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I worked nights for eight years solid, 22:00~06:00 five nights a week starting Mondays. I found it easier that double day shifts (06~14:00/14:00~22:00) in terms of sleep patterns and organising life stuff.

I found reading for 30mins to an hour helped me sleep during the day along with thick curtains.

When I finished on a Saturday morning I would do my shopping first thing then grab a few hours sleep and getting up around 2~3pm.

The only real problem I had was when the clocks went back at the end of summer, for some reason it really screwed up my sleep patterns so in the end I'd just book the week after they went back as holiday.

Gary C

12,312 posts

178 months

Monday 28th January 2019
quotequote all
CX53 said:
I did nights for about 3 years. I was only early twenties at the time but it damn near killed me. I would recommend you do everything you can to work a normal dayshift and scrap the night shifts unless it’s just short term.
Then you miss out on the increased salary and pension from working shifts

sherman

13,059 posts

214 months

Monday 28th January 2019
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I work until midnight most days. As long as you dont treat the day of the late shift like its a normal day and then work you will be fine. Have a bit of a long lie. Treat the daytime like the time you would normally have after getting off a 9-5 day shift and then when you get home you wont have much to do and will be ready for bed by 2/3 in the morning and you will be ready to do it all again with at least 8 hours sleep a night.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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We work with Australia so night shifts are inevitable, In fact both myself and my wife are doing them now. In the winter it is an utter pain in the ass and from when the clocks change we practically don't see any daylight until they change again in spring.

My only tips are avoid alcohol, It makes the whole thing more difficult and really messes with your body clock not to mention the winter blues. Get yourself some decent black out blinds or curtains as you will be sleeping during the day. Any daylight at all whilst you're asleep can mess things up.

Try and get into some sort of routine as quickly as possible. Our breakfast is around 17/18.00 each day, Lunch around 21/22 (Usually main meal) followed by a snack at around 05.00 and bed time at 08.00AM. (If its light and not too cold or wet I generally try to do something in the garden or on the house before bedtime)

We work from home which probably makes things a bit more difficult as the temptation to sit and watch a film and then go to bed instead of working is always there.

Eat healthily as the chances are you will gain weight on night shifts. (I'm 5KG heavier in the 7 years I've been doing this although my wife lost about that)

If you can avoid it I would and wouldn't recommend anyone works nights for an extended period as it really can have a negative impact on your mental health.

soad

32,825 posts

175 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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You'll get used to it. I did them for nearly 6 months...can hear someone snoring at work right now. hehe

Kiribati268

570 posts

136 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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Everyone deals with it differently, you'll have to find a way that works best for you.

I used to do nights. Shift pattern was 3 earlies, 3 lates or nights, 3 off. Nights were 2100-0530.

First night I could never sleep in the day, i'd lie in as much as possible and power though. Up at 10-11am and up all night til 6am. I'd then sleep from 6am-noon/1pm, have lunch and have the afternoon to myself before leaving at 20:30. Same for the next 2, though on my first day off i'd try and wake up as early as I could, usually 11am, so I could actually get to sleep at a reasonable time that night.

I'd always eat at about 4am at work, so I wouldn't wake up hungry in the morning and disturbing sleep.

I actually didn't mind them too much, means you get the entire day to yourself, preferred them to lates anyway.

TheAngryDog

12,394 posts

208 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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I used to do 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off. I'd stay up late after my last day shift and then get up as late as possible for my first night shift. I then moved onto 4 days 4 off, 4 nights 4 off which was easier to adjust to.

Gary C

12,312 posts

178 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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Got a post night shift hangover, yuck.

Just sitting watching TV feeling like I dont want to do anything.

Que up the wife for a stupid argument later on wink

Seriously, people around you also need to understand the needs of shiftwork too.

Defcon5

6,159 posts

190 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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OP, I used to do this exact pattern, but subsequently changed to 6 on 4 off, on a 2/2/2 pattern

The latter is better, but I’ve certainly worked worse than yours!

I do the same as someone above - have a lie in before first night then power through, and get up as early as possible on first RD - I use this day hoovering and cleaning etc when I can be a zombie

rambo19

2,737 posts

136 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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Did nights for 10 yrs, 4on/4off. loved it.
Your shift pattern is rubbish!