Night Nursing

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2006

I worked nights for many, many years. So did my mom. I found it best to develop a regular schedule for sleeping. My preference is to sleep at least 7 or 8 hours just before going in to work. I think of it as the same as getting up in the morning and going to work. I'm much more refreshed and I don't have as much trouble getting through the night. 5am seems to be the hardest hour for most. I run my errands on my way home from work and in the morning. The supermarkets are great--no crowds and the shelves are usually stocked full. Most appointments are easier to get with doctors and dentists since the day workers try to get time at the very beginning of the doctor's day or at the very end. That leaves all the time in the middle for people who are home all day. Watch my soap opera was usually the last thing I did before going to sleep.

I warned people not to call me, or I just turned off the ringer on the phone as evenings are when the telemarketers like to call. My mother taped aluminum foil on the windows of her bedroom--made it pitch black and there wasn't a speck of light in her room. Many years ago when I was new at sleeping during the day I used to take Nytol to help me sleep. At that time it had scopolamine in it which was subsequently taken off the market--it was a great hypnotic. I'll use a tea made from whole cloves to help me get drowsy IF I need it. But, I try to make sure I'm sleepy. Stuff like Benadry leaves an after effect of drowsiness. That means making sure I get up very early on the day of the night I'm going to work if I've been off the day before.

danigirl58 · Apr 20, 2006

hi! i have just recently started an icu position as a new grad. it was a 24 week program and i think it really helped me feel more comfortable.
my question is.......how do new nurses adjust to working nights...especially if you have never done it before? do you sleep for shorter periods of time? when do you run your errands?

the only problem i have with working nights is trying to get rid of all the energy that i have in the morning. i don't know how it happens but some how i manage to have more energy when i get off then when i start the shift. i think in the future i will just go to the gym for a work out then go home to bed.

beautifulb · Apr 20, 2006

I have such a hard time sleeping in the day. In general, I am not that great of a sleeper anyways. Usually I would come home from work and unwind for about an hour or so and then sleep for about 3 hrs. I would love to sleep longer but my body just won't do it. Anyways, then I have the afternoon to do errands and everything. Usually by 7pm I am back to bed to get a couple hours in.

shyne · Apr 20, 2006

It's not hard for me because I'm a night person. Try darkening the room to keep the light out so you can sleep.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2006

I love nights. You couldn't pay me enough to work days. I'm a night person though so it works out well for me. I have no trouble sleeping during the day. After I get home from work, I go to be within 1-2 hours and then sleep until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

Someone mentioned something about having energy in the mornings after working all night ..... I have that problem sometimes too. It's sometimes hard to go to sleep right after getting home. When I feel like that, I'll take a melatonin and it'll make me sleepy within 30 minutes or so. It also helps me to stay asleep during the day and I feel more rested.

As far as running errands ........ when would you run errands if you worked day shift? You'd have to be at work by 7 am and then wouldn't get home until after 7 pm. Working 12 hour shifts makes it hard to do anything on the days you work except work, sleep, and eat. If at all possible I try and save all errands and other stuff for my days off.

tjsmom123 · Apr 25, 2006

I tried taking Melatonin, but it made so sick i wanted to puke! Is that normal? :barf02:

Gompers, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2006

I'm another one that doesn't go to bed right away after getting home in the morning. Even if I'm working 12 hour shifts, I still run my errands in the morning on my way home. The stores and doctor's offices are DEFINITELY easier to deal with at 9am than 5pm! I can get a bunch of stuff done before I go to bed - sometimes I even make dinner and then put it in the fridge to heat up later. If I've TiVOed my favorite shows the night before, I'll watch them before I go to bed - my own little version of primetime TV. I go to bed around 10 or 11am, wake up around 5pm. Pretty similar to most people who work days - they go to bed around 10 or 11 and wake up at 5 too! That way, I am going to work when I am fresh and ready to start my day.

The problem I see with people who do it the other way - go to bed the second they get home, wake up in the afternoon - is that they are often falling asleep on their drives home because it's almost their bedtime, and they're tired by the time they come in to work because they've been running around all afternoon and evening. I know sometimes it's necessary because of kids and family obligations. But if it's possible to sleep right up until it's time to get ready for work, you might have an easier time with nights.

I've been working nights for almost 8 years straight.

indigo girl · Apr 25, 2006

I'm with Daytonite and Gompers. do errands on the way home, get the energy buzz as soon as I'm out of work, sleep later in day so when I wake up, it's like morning for me. I love having that time in the morning to do things, gardening, birding, shopping, whatever...it's my special time. I wear myself out with it, then I sleep. This also allows me to have dinner with my significant other before going off to work, though I do tend to nap or lay down at least an hour before my commute. Most night people that I know, try for that bonus nap even if I don't actually sleep, it's down time. And, because some studies suggest that working nights is problematic for the immune system, I take my vitamin/herbal concoctions.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2006

I'm another one that doesn't go to bed right away after getting home in the morning. Even if I'm working 12 hour shifts, I still run my errands in the morning on my way home. The stores and doctor's offices are DEFINITELY easier to deal with at 9am than 5pm! I can get a bunch of stuff done before I go to bed - sometimes I even make dinner and then put it in the fridge to heat up later. If I've TiVOed my favorite shows the night before, I'll watch them before I go to bed - my own little version of primetime TV. I go to bed around 10 or 11am, wake up around 5pm. Pretty similar to most people who work days - they go to bed around 10 or 11 and wake up at 5 too! That way, I am going to work when I am fresh and ready to start my day.
The problem I see with people who do it the other way - go to bed the second they get home, wake up in the afternoon - is that they are often falling asleep on their drives home because it's almost their bedtime, and they're tired by the time they come in to work because they've been running around all afternoon and evening. I know sometimes it's necessary because of kids and family obligations. But if it's possible to sleep right up until it's time to get ready for work, you might have an easier time with nights.
I've been working nights for almost 8 years straight.

It makes sense going to bed at 10 or 11 and waking up at 5 ..... it's parallel to the day shift schedule. For me I just hate (and always have) having to get up and be somewhere right after waking up. I am NOT a morning person ...... I need lots of time to fiddle faddle around and wake up. Getting up at 4 gives me a couple of hours to slowly get going, do things around the house, etc before I have to be at work. I'm never sleepy on the drive home, I usually have to take melatonin once I get home to help wind me down.

See, that's the great thing about night shift ...... you can play around with your sleeping schedule more. If I worked days I don't think I could go to bed at 9 and wake up at 4 am.

manna, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2006

I'm so glad to see this thread! I just accepted my first nursing job in ICU, too - also on nights (7p-7a). I've never worked nights in my life and am a little terrified by it. Not sure how well it's going to work out with my family (2 little kids) as well. Any tips for handling motherhood and working nights? :)

LauraLou · Apr 27, 2006

I finished my internship and started on nights this month. I love it so far. After getting home from work I'm tired, so I go to sleep around 8:30 am and get up at 4:00 or 4:30 pm. On my days off, I stay up until 2:00 or 3:00 am and sleep until 11:00 am. That way, I am not trying to make my body go back and forth between days and nights. I have no problem sleeping during the day and light doesn't bother me. I've always been a night person, so this shift is great for me!