[chenoaspirit]

HELP! For those who ever switched from nightshift to dayshift, how did you make the transition to being able to sleep at night? Its right now midnight and I am WIDE AWAKE! And I have to get up at 5 am and go to work. I took 7.5 mg of valium...NOTHING. I CANT SLEEP AT NIGHT and its driving me insane. Ive been on dayshift now for almost a month and its only getting worse!

[happyloser]

I transitioned from nights to evenings as a CNA and my doctor suggested not drinking coffee, limiting meal consumption to before 5 pm, and exercise to tire my body out and let me tell you it works.

[Dolce]

Originally Posted by chenoaspirit

I took 7.5 mg of valium...NOTHING.

Houston, we have a problem.....

Boy, I don't know what to tell you. Have you tried chamomile tea?

[Valanda]

If you do find an answer, let me know!
I've worked nights for 19 years.
Once I tried to switch to days and had the exact same problem.
Had to go back to nights.
I even tried staying up all night, all day and evening, then going to bed after being awake for 24+ hours. As soon as the sun set I was wide awake and could not sleep til sunrise.

[crb613]

It may be like going to nights....it will just take some time to adjust. I have been on nights for almost 2 years.....just now starting to be able to sleep in the daytime......I feel sorry for you, I know how awful it is! Do you think you might be a little anxious....day shift is so different from nights. You are working with different people...all the higher ups wandering around....just a thought. Hope you get a good nights sleep soon!

[Jen911]

Just a suggestion... I take Melatonin shortly before I go to bed, and if that doesn't have me drifting off within a half hour, I take the over the counter sleep med (just watch the packaging, you don't want the one with diphenhydramine, you want the one with doxylamine). Generally works for me, however I've built up quite a tolerance to it so I now have a prescription for ambien, as well.

Also, really try to set up a routine for when you go to bed. ie, q nice hot bath, read a couple chapters, warm milk or hot chocolate (even better with a little splash of baileys' in it)....

Make sure your room is quiet, perhaps a little white noise if you're used to daytime sounds. I personally sleep with the TV on low volume and turn on a program I've seen a billion and one times so I'm not all that interested.

And if you have kids.....Good Luck! They need a stron reminder that bedtime is bedtime! Even just telling them they must be in bed reading or whatever, it MUST be peaceful so you can sleep.

And most of all, GOOD LUCK!!!

Jen911

[queenjean]

I'm sorry, but it's your punishment for your betrayal of the night shift culture. You know of what I speak.

[snowfreeze]

I take a hot shower and cool the apartment with AC. This simulates my body cooling when I get sleepy and stimulates me to get drowsy. I also eat a broth soup about an hour or less before I plan to sleep. I think its more following a pattern than anything but it works for me. I work nights and am a morning person.

[CHATSDALE]

i have always been a late to bed, sleep in in the am
can't do that when you have to get up the next morning with a hard day ahead of you
i have been where you are

[sample24]

I'm getting ready to be in the same boat. I worked nights for 4 yrs, days for 2, upgraded my credentials (LPN to RN) and got put back on nights because I lost my seniority (nice huh?) Now after 4 months on nights, I'm getting switched back to days. I don't know if I'll ever recover. My favorite shift is 3p-3a. Strange I know, but I like it. If you come up with a decent remedy send it my way, as of now, my body doesn't know which end is up.