Shift work - nights

[LosingGrip]

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

[LosingGrip]

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.

[LosingGrip]

milu said:

I know nothing about this really
However the doc on Radio 2 wasn’t very complimentary about working nights just this week. Might be on catch up

I’m just curious. How come when arriving home you don’t have 3-4 hours life time,then bed and straight off to work once up? Like a normal pattern.
Just asking

I know some who do. Works for them, but not for others.

[LosingGrip]

Three weeks of shift work and im fked!

I've got one set of three nights in 12 weeks.

My trouble is getting to sleep early enough for my early shifts. I need to leave mine at 0515 to get there for 0630 for a 0700 start.

Lates im fine with, but I was up until 0330 Friday morning with my alarm going off at 0430.

In bed with an eye mask on from 2100. Phone at the other side of the room. No TV on. Even tried some sleeping tablets my girlfriend got from work and didn't work at all (medical ones not herbal).

Even last night I wasn't tired when I got in bed at 0130 despite being awake for 20 odd hours. (I've got a night shift coming up so trying go stay up late at themoment).

Any suggestions?

[LosingGrip]

jdw100 said:

What jobs are people doing to have night shifts?

Emergency services for me

TT1138 said:

There’s no other way of putting it but it doesn’t get any easier, it just gets more manageable. You learn what works for you to help you get through.

On days always try and get a decent nights sleep. Not always possible but you need to at least try. On days to nights I get up about 7, gym/ bicycle and clean/ do washing etc before going back to bed for a couple of hours about 3pm. After nights get up about midday, treat it as a normal day. After that I’m on rest days and back to a normal pattern, until it all starts again the next week...

I don’t mess around with remedies or anything like that. Eye mask or black out blinds, ear plugs and shut out the world.

I think I replied to you in another topic about marriage on here and said don’t even consider getting married until you’ve worked out whether you and her can manage sustaining a relationship around ‘the job’. Relationships can be difficult, chuck in shift work and a job that asks a lot from you and things can be tough. Some partners understand, but very few actually get it.

Thanks!

Re the last bit. I've struck gold with my girlfriend. She gets what it's like and is very understanding. Especially during my tutor phase.

Gary C said:

The killer seems to be having to get up to leave at a daft time. An hours commute for a shift worker is far from ideal.

My day shift starts at 07:00 but I dont neet to get up until 06:00 which, while a bit early means I can get 7 hours in easily which is more than enough sleep.

Thankfully it's only until the start of March then I move to a station that is 15 minutes away and not a hour! Also a bit of a better shift pattern with two earlies, two lates and two nights before four days off.

This shift pattern is ste with only two or three days off between sets with either nine or ten hour shifts.

Tomorrow is a night shift followed by a rest day (won't pay us double time in training to work NYD!) before another late shift.

17 months to go until I can apply for another department after my probation and find somewhere that does nicer shifts ha.

[LosingGrip]

Just ordered some headphones that are meant to be easier to use when asleep. I used to have the TV when falling asleep, going to stick some white noise on as when I was at home I had Alexa playing that most the night. Harder with my girlfriend now living with me.

[LosingGrip]

Had my first night shift in Tuesday and coped well! Only problem was how quiet it was at work! Home by 0700 (got to finish early), woke up around 1245. Slept like a log!

Two early shifts this week. Monday and Tueaday. Three off and then three nights...

[LosingGrip]

Elroy Blue said:

So you’ve done seven months and you’re already looking to jump ship from response.
I think you need to find a new career.

Whilst response isn't what I want to so forever (traffic or POLIT/child protection are my long term goals), im happy to stay on response for a few years first. It's easier to move stations which have different shift patterns after my probation.

But length of service isn't a reason not to move off response.

Back on topic.

Coped well with NYE. Although around 0500 it was a struggle, but that was because of how quiet it was.

Home by 0700 and slept well until 1345.

Got my first set of nights 2100 to 0700. But have to leave mine at 1915 and won't get back until 0800ish. Girlfriend is on strict instructions to let me sleep. I might try and stay awake until 10 and try and sleep until just before I need to leave like I would for a early shift.

[LosingGrip]

BFleming said:

So a 1h45m commute there, but 1h back - how does that work? Public transport?

Like to get there a little early (kitted up and ready for parade 20 minutes before). Parking can be a pain as can't park at work. Its anything from 60-80 minutes each way, normally get parked up and kitted up by half past. Gives me a bit of a buffer.

No traffic on the way home so can go across town (I avoid this during the day as the main road has roadworks at the moment).

[LosingGrip]

First set of nights went well! First night was a bit tricky as couldn't lie in!

Stayed up until 0915 on the first morning and slept until 1800.

Yesterday I got into bed at 0830ish and woke at 1640. Happy with that. Downside was it was stupidly quiet so was a struggle towards the end.

Decided im going to try and stay awake until 2000 tonight, then get up at 0800 tomorrow...thats the plan anyway!

Can't remember if ive said, but ive got an eye mask and some headphones now to play some white noise. Works brilliantly. I've been sleeping like a log!

[LosingGrip]

Well sleeping after nights is ok...sleeping before an early shift is not...

Got into bed at 2130. Darkness, eyemask, white noise on which helped massively after later/nights.

Been laying in bed since then trying to sleep, maybe grabbed 30/40 minutes in that time.

Alatms go off at 0400. I've given up trying to sleep now.

Hopefully I'll be shattered in the evening and actually get some sleep.

[LosingGrip]

I've got a st set of shifts coming up...

Thursday is the start of four earlier. 0700 to 1700. Alarms set for 0430 to leave at 0515. Back by 1800/1830ish.

Off for one day before another early and then two lates (1500 to 0000), then three off before five early shifts...thankfully one is 0800 to 1600 at a different station!

I've been trying to get to sleep at a reasonable time this week but failing...

Got into bed at 2130 and been wide awake since. Gave up a 30 minutes ago and picked up my phone.

Hoping that an early alarm (0800) and asking my girlfriend to wake me up in the morning along with my girlfriend being out until 2145 tonight will mean ill get to sleep early as ill be so tired!

March 5th I move stations...15 minute drive in the morning. I can't wait!

[LosingGrip]

ED209 said:

That can’t be the actual shift pattern surely? It’s crap

It's just a st part of it. The last 10 weeks haven't been too bad.

It changes in March to two early, two lates, two nights then four off which is a lot better.

[LosingGrip]

One more early for me this week!

I overslept last week and woke up 35 minutes before work...an hour away. Thankfully work were fine with it (had to buy some cakes!).

Seven shifts left until I move stations. I can't wait! Struggling with them now.

I've just ordered a push bike to ride in on earlies and nights. Hoping the ride will help .

[LosingGrip]

12 hour shifts wouldn't bother me too much I don't think. Only thing that I would worry about is if you are late off it becomes a very long day.

I've finally moved stations! My first shift is Wednesday. Early shifts are either 0700/0800 or I think 0900. Nine hours Sunday to Thursday and ten hours on Friday and Saturday.

Only do two early shifts in a row (unless I do overtime).

I'm 15 minutes away in the morning. 20 minutes for a late shift.

No more 0430 alarms, but 0530 now. Can't wait!

[LosingGrip]

Derek Smith said:

I don't think there should be a 0430 in the morning.

To be fair that's my fault for moving during training. I was planning on moving once I knew where I was going to be stationed, but this place was too good to turn down.

Worth it now as in the middle for me and my girlfriend. Both have a similar commute.

[LosingGrip]

Johnnytheboy said:

Reading back through this someone said the same thing as me. People that work nights and evenings tend to sleep immediately after work, rather than immediately before. That's what I would struggle with.

I tried to stay up until 10am after nights. Although I only made it until 930ish, I slept until 1830. Up and out the house by 1915 for nights. Worked for me.

I'm loving my short commute! Woke up just before 0600. Able to have a unrushed shower, out the house by 0700. Stopped off at Tesco for some cakes and walk through the door at 0730.

Left at 1715 and home by 1740 after getting stuck behind a tractor.

Only two earlies as well!

[LosingGrip]

Im coping well with nights at the moment...its earlies that im fked on. Two or three hours sleep at most. Which then means im tired for the rest of the set.

[LosingGrip]

I slept from around 2200 until 0130 and now wide awake...alarm goes off at 0500. Hopefully I can get a couple more hours!

[LosingGrip]

Well my nice shift pattern has ended today...wont bore anyone with the reasons why but it's written into police regulations that a night shift can't start before 1900hrs.

Our shift pattern is two earlies, two lates, two nights.

We don't need the whole squad on nights so those that aren't needed were doing 1600 to 0100. Nice shift. Got a lot done. Could progress crimes.

We now have to do 1900 to 0400 if we aren't on nights. It's st. It wouldn't be so bad if it was busy, but its not. We went to one job in that shift and that was just to get out the station as my diploma was driving me mad!

I'm now wide awake and unable to sleep. I had got used to sleeping after nights, but this is ste.