Night Shift Workers? (Need Advice.)

[Maxx Mazda]

So, I started my new job this week, I got a job with a company that's gonna let me fly planes finally. Basically, you work the ramp for a bit (marshalling planes, fueling them etc) and after you've proven yourself you go right seat in a Piper Navajo, then move up to captain, then onto a Metro or King Air, etc.

Anyways, I used to work 8-5 like other working stiffs, but now I'm on 2am-10:30am. I've worked nights before, but I'm having a hell of a time adjusting to this job. I Get home and try to sleep from 11 to about 6, but I can't. I usually wake up around 3 or 4, tossing and turning, even though I'm DEAD tired, I can't get back to sleep. Then, I'll go to bed with the girlfriend around 9-10pm, but it's up again at 1:30 to get ready.

This just ain't workin lol. I need my evenings free, so I can't just go to bed at 5 or whatever, but splitting up my sleep schedule is makin me crash, and in my line of work (standing 6 feet from a jet engine marshalling a plane ut of it's space) I can't afford to be sleepy. It's dangerous work and accidents can happen SO easily.

Basically, whole point of this is, fo those of you who work nights, what's your routine? At least I'm monday to friday, so I get weekends off, but if you can provide any advice I'd appreciate it.

 

[JCell]

you'll adjust, give it time

ive had a job similar to that, and eventually your body will refuel with only a few hours of sleep and still give you some free time

 

[Knox Joe]

Blackout curtains and blinds.

I worked as a night auditor for years. But then I live out in the country so no noisy neighbors to worry about.

 

[MiaTurbo]

Tylenol PM

 

[flipmode815]

I work from 7pm to 7:30am then sleep till 3pm, sleeping pills are my friend at this point other then that its not to bad you will get used to it

 

[StealthWyvern]

I suggest what Knox Joe mentioned earlier and crash as soon as you get home. If that doesn't work I also suggest staying up instead of goign right to sleep when you get home and crash around 8pm-ish.

I know you stated your evenings free but want to try it for a little bit just to help you adjust over to night shift. I work from 12 hour shifts from 7pm-7am... i crash as soon as i get home but my neighbors don't always help with the mowign of their yards ect ect.

Blackout curtains and blinds.

I worked as a night auditor for years. But then I live out in the country so no noisy neighbors to worry about.

Yes I agree 100%... My room is called the cave for a reason! lol

Tylenol PM

That crap works for you? It doesn't do squat for me but then agian it might be worth a shot for the OP.

 

[MiaTurbo]

I suggest what Knox Joe mentioned earlier and crash as soon as you get home. If that doesn't work I also suggest staying up instead of goign right to sleep when you get home and crash around 8pm-ish.

I know you stated your evenings free but want to try it for a little bit just to help you adjust over to night shift. I work from 12 hour shifts from 7pm-7am... i crash as soon as i get home but my neighbors don't always help with the mowign of their yards ect ect.


Yes I agree 100%... My room is called the cave for a reason! lol



That crap works for you? It doesn't do squat for me but then agian it might be worth a shot for the OP.

yeah. I was having a problem with insomnia once. Went days with little sleep. Took it a few nights to help me get back in the rythm of sleep and was ok.

 

[StealthWyvern]

yeah. I was having a problem with insomnia once. Went days with little sleep. Took it a few nights to help me get back in the rythm of sleep and was ok.

i must be immune to that crap becuase their have been days that I literally only get 30 min of sleep do to nosiey neighbors and it doesn't work. However drinking a warm glass of milk seems to work some times for me. However I'm very mildy allergic to dairy so i try to avoid that most of the times.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Thanks for the advice so far guys! It's seriously taking its toll on me. Its only been a week, but it's still hard. To top it off, I'm moving this weekend, so I have a TON of stuff to adjust to at once. New job, new sleep schedule, new house... I've noticed my appetite has gone through the roof! Like I'm eating like a horse, and I'm still hungry. I hope I don't get fat lol. That might just bee because it's hard work though.

 

[StealthWyvern]

Thanks for the advice so far guys! It's seriously taking its toll on me. Its only been a week, but it's still hard. To top it off, I'm moving this weekend, so I have a TON of stuff to adjust to at once. New job, new sleep schedule, new house... I've noticed my appetite has gone through the roof! Like I'm eating like a horse, and I'm still hungry. I hope I don't get fat lol. That might just bee because it's hard work though.

I put on 20lbs in the past two years of working night shift, but then again I needed it. I only weighed around 130lbs two years ago! Can you say twig? LOL

I imagine I put on weight due to the fact that I'm very limited on what I can eat at 1-3am... all junk food.(dunno)

 

[TreFlip999]

im deployed and i work 6pm-6am everyday,,basically i get off at 6, in bed by 6:45 wake up 5 pm, shower and then off to work again...im so tired all the time all i do is sleep

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Ya and that's what I don't want. I actually want my evenings / afternoons free... Maybe I need a giant vat of Red Bull...

 

[StealthWyvern]

im deployed and i work 6pm-6am everyday,,basically i get off at 6, in bed by 6:45 wake up 5 pm, shower and then off to work again...im so tired all the time all i do is sleep

sounds like me except I get off around 7am-ish due to meetings and I crash around 8-9am and wake up at 5:30pm, shower and head into work at 6pm.

 

[StealthWyvern]

Ya and that's what I don't want. I actually want my evenings / afternoons free... Maybe I need a giant vat of Red Bull...

What I do when i need to adjust between night and day life is that I stay up real late so I'm tired enough to sleep during the day the night before I have to go in for work.

 

[joka1]

im deployed and i work 6pm-6am everyday,,basically i get off at 6, in bed by 6:45 wake up 5 pm, shower and then off to work again...im so tired all the time all i do is sleep

On deployment sleep is your best friend, It makes the time go by quicker!!

I have worked from 11- 8 am and after a month I was sleeping from 11 AM to 7 PM. It worked for me. Splitting your sleeping schedule in 2 is a b****.

Rob

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Do you find that splitting the sleep schedule actually works? Ive tried sleeping from 11-3pm, and then from 9 till 1:30am when I get up and go to work, but it's hell getting up at 1am... Like the rest of the world is stil lsleeping, and I'm going to work lol. It's wierd.

 

[downtube]

to get good healthy sleep...

- you have to sleep the same schedule 7 days a week
- you have to have continuous sleep; you can't break it up
- your body can only adjust it's schedule by 1 hour per day

my $.02 worth

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

I've been working 3rd for 3 years now (either 12-8 or 10-8) and here's my advice: It does take time to adjust...there's no easy way to convince your body it should be awake when it wants to be asleep. I know you said you need evenings free, but I would recommend not splitting up your sleep. At least I can't really make that work well...I do it occasionally when I have to, but no more. If you do, I would take the time to figure out how long you have to sleep minimum (for me it's 4 hours) at a time. Dark curtains really do help, and I will take a Benadryl now and again when I have struggled for a few days to sleep and know that I need it. I try not to take it too often as I know I'll get used to it and need it or need more. I need to wake up right before I come in or I'm tired...If I was you, I would sleep from 3pm or 4pm until 1am. The key is to find a consistent routine and stick with it until you adjust to it. Good luck! (I started a 3rd shift thread in the OT section, so feel free to post there)

 

[StealthWyvern]

I've been working 3rd for 3 years now (either 12-8 or 10-8) and here's my advice: It does take time to adjust...there's no easy way to convince your body it should be awake when it wants to be asleep. I know you said you need evenings free, but I would recommend not splitting up your sleep. At least I can't really make that work well...I do it occasionally when I have to, but no more. If you do, I would take the time to figure out how long you have to sleep minimum (for me it's 4 hours) at a time. Dark curtains really do help, and I will take a Benadryl now and again when I have struggled for a few days to sleep and know that I need it. I try not to take it too often as I know I'll get used to it and need it or need more. I need to wake up right before I come in or I'm tired...If I was you, I would sleep from 3pm or 4pm until 1am. The key is to find a consistent routine and stick with it until you adjust to it. Good luck! (I started a 3rd shift thread in the OT section, so feel free to post there)

well put!

 

[ZZZOOM!]

Man you have it tough. It is a lot easier to work a full night like 7pm to 7am. When I worked nights at a lab I even knew people that would go home wearing welding goggles because they thought that it would help them get to sleep keeping it dark. But you cannot do that from sunrise to 10:30AM while you are working lol.

Better than drapes have your tried (or will your GF let you) aluminum foil over the windows? Even just one layer taped up blocks out all light. Create a "cave" for yourself.