Night shift working

[dfen5]

Looking at a phone support role that starts Monday 18:00->06:00 Tuesday (12 hour shift), and goes on like this until finishing Friday 06:00. Non rotating so permanent nights four days a week Mon'-Fri'.

Practical or a nightmare - any experiences?

[ProSc2008]

If you're single and/or have no desire to socialise on a Friday night with your mates then there shouldn't be any problems. If not then I would give it a miss.

[AndyClockwise]

It can be very hard working nights; I worked 12 hour days and nights on a rota which was great initially but do not underestimate the effect that normally trivial matters can have on you.

I often found it very hard to sleep during the day in the summer; blackout blinds or curtains are essential but the temeperature is much higher during the day. Opening a window will resolve the temperature issue but then you have the noise from children playing, someone cutting their grass etc.

If you are in a relationship discuss it with your OH before you do anything; if you don't have their support then you will have arguments about it

Getting every weekend off is great, if you finish at 06:00 on a Friday then you can have a full days sleep prior to going out on a night but changing your body clock can take a couple of days - I often woke up at 2 or 3 in the morning on my days off and ended up in the supermarket doing the weekly shop.

Are you currently working? If you are currently unemployed then definitely take it - any job is better than no job IMHO. If you are currently employed then think long and hard about the pros and cons.

[singlecoil]

AndyClockwise said:

Are you currently working? If you are currently unemployed then definitely take it - any job is better than no job IMHO. If you are currently employed then think long and hard about the pros and cons.

Pretty much the nub of the matter.

[Truckosaurus]

Also, don't forget that as it is a 12hr shift you'll have little time to do much between shifts other than commute and sleep, so you can't even enjoy the 'daytime' available during the week.

I suspect the key to such a role would be to maximise the 4 day weekend yet still be in a fit state to work the Monday night.

[Panda76]

The main thing is adapting a suitable sleep pattern and pretty much stick to it,even on your days off but put in some minor adjustments.

I.e aim to get at least 8 hours sleep on your work pattern.
Your last day at work and first night off get say 4 or 5 hours in then get up and do your thing(you dont lose most of the day in bed)
Stay up til at least 3am sat morn then sleep.Look at getting up late morning to dinnertime,do this sat night sun morning too.To prepare for your first shift back, on the sunday night monday am stay up as long as you can then sleep and be fresh for the rtn shift.

Dont attempt to flip into a day routine and then back to nights during the weekend,even if you get wag pressure to do it.It wont work and you will be a walking tired zombie all the time.

Ive done nights for a few years now and this works for me.

[Gwagon111]

I'm on a (self imposed) flipper shift at the moment. I do 0600:1800 Mon, Tues, Wed, Thursday. Followed by an 1800:0600 Mon, Tue, Wednesday (usually a 12 hour overtime shift on Thursday night as well). It takes some getting used to, but I never work the weekends, and rarely on a Friday. I've been doing this for the last 12 years. I just have to arrange my social life around it. I'd find doing the permanent 12 hr night option a piece of piss now.

Edited by Gwagon111 on Wednesday 21st March 01:17

[dfen5]

Thanks for the replies, interesting stuff. I am working a usual 8:30-5:30 at the minute but quite like the idea of nights. This way it should be fixed hours, I'm currently working well in excess of the hours I would at night without any extra £s, probably see more of the familty too, albeit at different times.

I take it as it a 12 hour shift the breaks are more frequent?

[Gwagon111]

dfen5 said:

Thanks for the replies, interesting stuff. I am working a usual 8:30-5:30 at the minute but quite like the idea of nights. This way it should be fixed hours, I'm currently working well in excess of the hours I would at night without any extra £s, probably see more of the familty too, albeit at different times.

I take it as it a 12 hour shift the breaks are more frequent?

You should get a reasonable 'shift enhancement', which is always welcome. The night shifts are usually a lot more relaxed regarding breaks as well, in my experience

[JumboBeef]

dfen5 said:

I take it as it a 12 hour shift the breaks are more frequent?

In the ambulance service, we get 45 minutes off in 12 hour whether it is day or night shift.

(However, if you are at a quiet station you can get a number of hours sleep on a night shift...)