Sleeping after night shift?
Discussion
I have worked shifts more or less constantly for the last twenty years. Every 5 weeks I currently work two sets of nights (10pm-7am), one three shifts and the other four. Over the last year or so I have found it impossible to sleep more than 3-4 hours after each shift. This is having a negative effect on my mood, levels of energy and generally making me a pain in the backside to live with. I have no trouble at all getting to sleep but staying asleep is a real issue.
When I was younger six or seven hours sleep after nights was usual for me.
Anyone ago any top tips for helping me extend my sleeps?
When I was younger six or seven hours sleep after nights was usual for me.
Anyone ago any top tips for helping me extend my sleeps?
It might just be an age thing, I finally escaped nights completely this year after 25 years of working various patterns.
I found once I hit 40 it became more and more difficult to adjust between the days and nights and my later shift pattern 2 days 2 nights made it impossible to adjust. When I was younger I could flop into bed any time of day and sleep solid for 6 or 7 hours.
The only things that really helped were blackout curtains (and I mean blackout) for the summer months and regular exercise. It also helps to lay off food on the night shift after say 10pm if possible and only eat after you've had your sleep the next day.
Escape if you can, you'll get a longer life and more energy although the wallet is a little emptier than it used to be its well worth it.
I found once I hit 40 it became more and more difficult to adjust between the days and nights and my later shift pattern 2 days 2 nights made it impossible to adjust. When I was younger I could flop into bed any time of day and sleep solid for 6 or 7 hours.
The only things that really helped were blackout curtains (and I mean blackout) for the summer months and regular exercise. It also helps to lay off food on the night shift after say 10pm if possible and only eat after you've had your sleep the next day.
Escape if you can, you'll get a longer life and more energy although the wallet is a little emptier than it used to be its well worth it.
Smiljan said:
It might just be an age thing, I finally escaped nights completely this year after 25 years of working various patterns.
I found once I hit 40 it became more and more difficult to adjust between the days and nights and my later shift pattern 2 days 2 nights made it impossible to adjust. When I was younger I could flop into bed any time of day and sleep solid for 6 or 7 hours.
The only things that really helped were blackout curtains (and I mean blackout) for the summer months and regular exercise. It also helps to lay off food on the night shift after say 10pm if possible and only eat after you've had your sleep the next day.
Escape if you can, you'll get a longer life and more energy although the wallet is a little emptier than it used to be its well worth it.
Got the black out curtains and exercise about 9 out of 10 days, probably too much really.I found once I hit 40 it became more and more difficult to adjust between the days and nights and my later shift pattern 2 days 2 nights made it impossible to adjust. When I was younger I could flop into bed any time of day and sleep solid for 6 or 7 hours.
The only things that really helped were blackout curtains (and I mean blackout) for the summer months and regular exercise. It also helps to lay off food on the night shift after say 10pm if possible and only eat after you've had your sleep the next day.
Escape if you can, you'll get a longer life and more energy although the wallet is a little emptier than it used to be its well worth it.
I don't think i could miss food from 10pm until getting out of bed the next day though. I sometimes think that being hungry is the reason I struggle to sleep now.
Is it possible for you to stay up after a night shift instead of going straight to bed? If you think about a day shift you normally go to bed some hours after finishing so maybe the same could work for night shift. That might help.
I have worked 12 hr shifts, 2 days 2 nights for almost 20 years and found the last few years could only sleep from 7am until about 12pm. If I got to 1pm that was a good sleep for me after the night before.
I'm not working nights at the moment but I'm always awake at 5am without an alarm. Bit of a bugger when I'm on a day off and fancy a sleep in.
I have worked 12 hr shifts, 2 days 2 nights for almost 20 years and found the last few years could only sleep from 7am until about 12pm. If I got to 1pm that was a good sleep for me after the night before.
I'm not working nights at the moment but I'm always awake at 5am without an alarm. Bit of a bugger when I'm on a day off and fancy a sleep in.
I've been doing shifts for about 25 years and now at 51 I've found that my sleeping between the shifts has needed to change. Partly age, partly a change in shift pattern
Used to do four nights, first and last 22:00 to 7:30 with the two in between 19:30 to 07:30 which meant I could sleep from ~1700 to 20:00 before the fist night with set me up well.
Now I do two 12hr days followed by two 12hr nights then five days off and I have found the best for me is sleep from 08:00 until about 13:00, get up for two hours, have a drink (water !) and a little food, then sleep again from 15:00 until about 18:00. I find with this I have almost overslept and now need to set my alarm. Feel much better, less headaches and better at work.
On the last night I get up at about 14:00
Hardest bit is grabbing some sleep before the first shift and can often feel really tired about 05:00.
Hey ho, bad sleep and early grave, all for an extra 15.5%
Used to do four nights, first and last 22:00 to 7:30 with the two in between 19:30 to 07:30 which meant I could sleep from ~1700 to 20:00 before the fist night with set me up well.
Now I do two 12hr days followed by two 12hr nights then five days off and I have found the best for me is sleep from 08:00 until about 13:00, get up for two hours, have a drink (water !) and a little food, then sleep again from 15:00 until about 18:00. I find with this I have almost overslept and now need to set my alarm. Feel much better, less headaches and better at work.
On the last night I get up at about 14:00
Hardest bit is grabbing some sleep before the first shift and can often feel really tired about 05:00.
Hey ho, bad sleep and early grave, all for an extra 15.5%
We only get 10% between 8pm and 6am which is a bit crap really!
I have did the 2 days, 2 nights 4 days off pattern for about a year previously and found it better. I also did a pattern for a year where i didn't have to work past 1am, I was a different person!
Yesterday I ended up having 3 sleeps!
7.30 am to noon in bed, 2pm til 3pm ish on the sofa, 7.45pm to 8.45pm on the sofa. Not ideal really!!
I have did the 2 days, 2 nights 4 days off pattern for about a year previously and found it better. I also did a pattern for a year where i didn't have to work past 1am, I was a different person!
Yesterday I ended up having 3 sleeps!
7.30 am to noon in bed, 2pm til 3pm ish on the sofa, 7.45pm to 8.45pm on the sofa. Not ideal really!!
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