Being Tired at work - How do you cope?

[abbaking]

What do you do when you are VERY tired at work? I am Exhausted when you clock in to being catatonic when you clock out? Lately, night shift is talking a toll on me. Coffee helps but only goes so far. I can Micro-sleep on the elevator (12 floors) ride up to my unit.

Sometimes I am so tired that during the change-of-shift, I doze off while giving report - just for a quick moment.

Other times, While charting, I doze off.

[ShayRN]

I have been on second shift for 12 years. I don't let anyone or anything make me feel guilty about getting my sleep. My ringer gets shut off on my phone and the school knows to call my cell if I don't answer the house phone. If I am tired, I sleep. I don't care if the house is a mess and laundry is piled up, I sleep. Honestly, I can keep up with the picking up around the house, but not the heavy cleaning. I just hired a cleaning lady 6 months ago and it was the best decision I have made in a very long time.

[jenniferclare]

I definitely agree with the others that have mentioned that level of exhaustion is just not normal... something else must be coming in to play - such as, as suggested, not getting QUALITY sleep when you do sleep.

I would personally try to stay away from as much caffeine or caffeine supplements, and start with talking to your Dr about scheduling a sleep study, and in the meantime, starting a regular exercise routine, switching to a healthy diet with lots of natural CHO and PRO to balance out your sugar levels, and moving around as much as possible during your work shift. IF you MUST have a helper, at least the 5-hr power drinks are Bvitamins, but I would be weary of even getting to where you're depending on them to get you through the shift... they're merely a bandaid, and you need to figure out what's going on.

Good luck, and please let us know how things work out... what methods wound up working for you and what you find out if you do a sleep study. :)

jc

[imanedrn]

~ Black curtains in my room.

~ Fan helps - always has.

~Melatonin for tricking my body to sleep - I can't do sleeping pills.

~Stay on my night schedule on my days off - not having to switch back & forth makes a big difference, esp because I don't like 3-in-a-row, and I refuse to work doubles. I just do ev-er-y-thing at night now and have accepted this my life.

~Exercise on days off.

~When all else fails: 5 Hour Energy. Just a little caffeine. The B vitamins do the biggest help though - so I could just get B vit supplements. Too much caffeine seems more detrimental than helpful. Some nights are better/worse than others.

[kat7ap]

I fortunately usually work with a lively group so we keep each other laughing most of the night. We keep a radio on with upbeat music. Caffeine can only do so much if you are really tired. I make sure sleep is a priority between shifts.

[Jess1990]

Try covering your windows with alfoil... Depending on the neighbourhood your in, you may get a drive by from the police everynow and then, but it works... It blocks out all light, and acts as insulation for your bedroom...

I also agree with what everyone else is saying, try running a fan, or the radio playing quietly, exercise and healthy diet

Try eating an apple, whenever i feel like im about to crash, it perks me up for a while, and i dont get jittery like i can do from caffiene :-D