How long did it take to get use to working nights?

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Apr 28, 2011

Are you a day or night person OP?
I won't work nights, I know me very well. I'm a morning person and have no problem being up at 530am. By 1030 at night I'm ready to be in bed.

Ive never had to really be up all night, but I HATE being up in the am. It has always been hard for me to get up in the mornings and go to work. When 8hr shifts were still going on 3-11 was my best friend, but I dont know if having a history of working 3-11 will be beneficiary - other than the fact that I could never go straight to sleep after work, but I would go to bed around 3am. geez! I really need to think about this. :confused:

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Apr 28, 2011

It really depends on what you can handle. I know myself and I can't handle nights unless its really, really, busy. If its not busy then I know I would have trouble staying awake and really wouldn't want to risk falling asleep at work. The most I can handle is 11-7. I have done 7p-7a but it was pure torture.

kythe, LPN · Apr 28, 2011

I work four 8-hour night shifts per week. I've always been an "evening" person, so night is just an extention of that. It works out well for child care in my family too.

As for truly adjusting to a new sleep schedule, that happened when I started taking sleeping pills. My problem is that I work too few nights to maintain a rhythm. 4 nights a week is pretty much half the time, so I feel like I'm doing swing shifts. If I worked 5 nights a week, I could probably adjust completely to nights without needing sleeping pills.

Up2nogood RN, RN · Apr 28, 2011

Ive never had to really be up all night, but I HATE being up in the am. It has always been hard for me to get up in the mornings and go to work. When 8hr shifts were still going on 3-11 was my best friend, but I dont know if having a history of working 3-11 will be beneficiary - other than the fact that I could never go straight to sleep after work, but I would go to bed around 3am. geez! I really need to think about this.

I loved working swing shift! Now since that choice has long been gone I am switching to 12 hr days after 2+ yrs of working 12 hr nocs.

It took me about a year to get used to nocs and I almost convinced myself I loved it since there was no other choice. After the 1st year I could survive without massive amounts of caffeine. Now I'm just plain sick of being dog tired all the time, I know due to the fact of working nocs. I did love the atmosphere of nocs but either it could be crazy busy with limited resources or so dead quiet it's hard to stay awake. It's great when you have others to talk to but can be a drag when you have to try and hide from certain co-workers the entire 12 hr shift because they would make you pull your hair out after 2 minutes of listening to them.

I know there are pros and cons with each shift and it's a personal decision depending on each persons personal circumstance, temperment, and patience. Would it be possible for you to shadow for a noc shift?

spqrn · Apr 28, 2011

Hello, I am thinking about taking a 7p-7a job. Problem is I have only worked 7-3, 3-11, and 7a-7p. I want to know how long did it take you to adjust to being awake overnight? How do you stay up and energized during this shift? This shift would work out best for my family situation so I am really considering it. Any advice is appreciated

MekBlizz, I, myself, am new to nights (3p3a, 7p7a). It is not the shift that is difficult to work. It is, as everyone has pretty much mentioned, the next day that is tricky. If you work a couple to few days in a row, it is easier as you just come home, possibly grab a bite, and then sleep. If you have a couple days off in the middle, your first morning is lost. You may awaken bright-eyed, but by mid-afternoon, you are dragging, and then at 1:00 a.m., you are wide awake. You just really have to be disciplined, and also realize that all of your friends who work days have no idea what it is like to work nights.

I don't know if i am starting trouble, but also realize that some day-shift RN's still think that the night-shift RN's just sit around and sleep. They often overlook the many cardiac and respiratory arrests that come through the ER doors during the night. Good luck with the shift.

sourapril · Apr 28, 2011

a month. But I am rotating between days and nights. Like I will do days for 3 weeks and nights for 3 weeks. I do get a little sleepy around 6am but I don't need caffeine to stay awake. I think working at nights does affect your mood a little bit because you sleep when it's bright outside.

DogWmn · Apr 28, 2011

Never, I did a stint in ICU (back when LPN's worked in hospitals) on the 11p-7a shift and could never get used to it and hated it, loved working ICU but not on nights. I LOVED swing shift and I can do days too, but I'm way not a night person. I've never done 12's and at 60 with some health problems I don't think I could.

Lee J A · Apr 28, 2011

I worked night shift for 15 years because it worked out best for my family but unless your really a night person and adjust well I recomend you NOT do it. Looking back on my life, I would have worked days because I am a better person on day shift. Life is too short to be tired and crabby all the time.

missmun52 · Apr 28, 2011

I have been working nights as a NA for about one year now and I am just feeling like I am adjusting somewhat. My problem is not staying awake at night, its staying asleep during the day (before I could not sleep more than 1-2 hours in the day, now I can do 4). I sometimes have to take a Tylenol PM so I can get some more sleep in the day that way I am well rested for work. The day after my shifts I am a zombie because I generally stay awake all day after my last shift then go to bed that night so the next day my body is trying to catch up on all the sleep I missed the 3 or so days I worked.

I just got hired for a night position as a RN so now 12 hour shifts instead of 8. I am hoping that maybe after 12 hours I will be so exhausted I will sleep better in the day. I dont think nights are for everyone, some just don't adjust and think I may be one of them. My body has a hard time to adjusting to sleep during the day.

Wanted to add that I am crabby alot of the time because you always drag, my body is confused!

rikkitikki · Apr 28, 2011

It really depends on what you can handle. I know myself and I can't handle nights unless its really, really, busy. If its not busy then I know I would have trouble staying awake and really wouldn't want to risk falling asleep at work. The most I can handle is 11-7. I have done 7p-7a but it was pure torture.

Agreed. If you are busy, your mind just snaps into action. When there's a lull, it's like your body suddenly realizes that it should not be awake and you start to fade. However, if you can get a break and if it is allowed, there's no shame in taking a nap in the conference room or lobby.

nurse.sandi · Apr 28, 2011

I had good nights and then nights I had a hard time. I am a night person, but sometimes you just need to sleep at night. There are positive reasons to work at night. Less people around telling you what to do. You have more autonomy. Good luck with your decision.

RI Nurse · Apr 28, 2011

Thank you for the help, well appreciated. good luck to you with the night shift.