[BumblebeeRN]

I do enjoy my job.
I am doing what I've always wanted to do for a long time.

but now that I've been working for a few months at night.... it is getting to me.... the lack of sleep.

I only sleep 2 hours before I go in for my first night, after my second and third night I sleep all day.... until about 5 or 6pm.... then I want to stay up all night... but the next days I have to sleep and I am unable because I have a family- 2year old and husband- to attend.

so I have to be a nocturnal person, and be up all night... but on my days off, I have to be a dayturnal person, be up on day and sleep at night... but I am finding it hard to sleep at night.
I am starting to feel tired all the time now... it's so weird.

idk
I am just being a weirdo.

[WeeBabyRN]

I did 6 months on night shift and I flipped on my days off too. It eventually became too much for me. There are some girls at work who love nights, but it isn't for everyone. I totally ran out of juice after my 6 month stint on night shift, I was depressed and didn't realize it until I was on a normal (for me) schedule. Part of my problem was that I couldn't sleep during the day, I tried everything, but I was only getting 4 or 5 hours of sleep.

[racing-mom4]

I work 3 nights a week. Sat/Sun and Weds. Having a set sched somewhat helps. I have been known to take Excedrin Migraine (has caffeine in it ) at the start of my shift, or sudafed. I have also been known to take a tylenol PM when I get home on Sunday knowing that I must get good sleep as I have to work again that night.

I am surely not advising you to take OTC meds, but I am admitting I have had to.

I also drink lots of water and diet pepsi during my shift. I try to drink one water to one DP. to stay hydrated. the only thing I will eat at night is cereal like raisin bran or some cut veggies. One thing about flip floping day/night is my GI tract get all out of whack on the nights i work. Fiber One bars are really good too. But I usually dont eat those at work I wait till I get home.

At this point in my life Night shift works best for my family sched. I dont know how long I will be able to do it. I am hoping at least a few more years.

Funny thing is when I work 7a to 7pm. I still look kind of cute when I leave work. When I work 7pm to 7a I look like dawn of the dead when I leave. It is hard on your body that is for sure.

Good luck...

[BumblebeeRN]

thanks guys!

it is getting to me. I think there might be a weekend position open, I just might take it. Sat & Sun nights with one day during the week. not to bad so I will know that I have a set schedule and 4 nights off in a row.

[yellow finch]

My life span was shortened working nights. Most of the nurses who work nights on our unit are night owls and say they have a hard time waking up at 5 for dayshift. I'm a morning person. No more nights for me.

*shudder*

[JRD2002]

Yeah I could never make it on days. I am way to much of a night person. Not to mention that I never even had one daytime clinical in nursing school, so I wouldn't even know where to begin when planning out my day.

[racing-mom4]

Originally Posted by IampattyRN

thanks guys!

it is getting to me. I think there might be a weekend position open, I just might take it. Sat & Sun nights with one day during the week. not to bad so I will know that I have a set schedule and 4 nights off in a row.

That is what I do now and it has made a world of difference. Except my day during the week is Weds. I just cant do 3-12 hour shifts in a row. My "baby" has pre-k on Mondays and Thursday so I can take a nice 4 hour nap and feel refreshed by the time I pick him up.

And does your hospital offer Baylor pay by doing every Sat Sun? Mine does so I get paid 36 hours for working 24 on the weekend, add in the 12 on Weds and I get paid for working 48 hours. Not bad for part time nights.

[quincy24]

I have been working as a day/night rotator for about a year now. I do 2 twelves and 2 eights. One week nights the next week days. sometimes both in one week. Sometimes 6 -8 night shifts in a row. I think my boss is trying to kill me. I'm looking for a new job but I'm in Boston (one of the few places without a shortage), which is why my manager gets away with torture. Anywho i never feel good when Im on nights. I've always been a morning person.

[RainDreamer]

You're not being weird, you're being human ...... you need your sleep just like we all do

You need the same amount of sleep working nights as you would working days. If you worked days, would you only get 2 hours of sleep and then get up and go to work? Not likely. And you shouldn't expect to do the same working nights either.

Working nights is hard because you have to guard your sleep more than someone working days. People don't understand that you need to sleep or they underestimate the amount of sleep you do need.

The night before you go in, either stay up late so you can sleep late. Or go to bed early, wake up early, and then take a nap before work.