Night Shift Workers- How Do You Stay Awake?

Nurses General Nursing

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I start my first shift as a night nurse on Friday (was just hired yesterday afternoon). I have never done nights and my usual bedtime is 11 pm. Please pass over any suggestions! FYI caffeine doesn't do it for me.

Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I worked nights for close to 30 yrs. The most important thing was learning to sleep in daylight. Now I am retired and the best sleep I get is still during the day. When I worked 8's I would go to bed around 10-11 am get up around 5 cook dinner for the family spend time with them and take a nap for a couple of hours and then go to work.

When I worked 12's, I would get home around 8 and go to bed around 9 am start dinner and let the DH finish it and go to work around 1815.

when I go to bed the phone is turned off and I have a sign posted on the door saying daysleeper When the kids were little I took them to daycare and picked them up around 1600 I had to have my phone on for emergencies I had a girlfriend that would call me every single day to chitchat until I started calling her at 0300 to shoot the breeze. I quit drinking coffee around 3 am so I could go to sleep. It takes some figuring out what works best for you. I loved working nights that after a couple of years I stayed on at nights. It's quiet, no interns and residents taking and keeping your chart, I just got more don at night than I ever could on days or evenings.

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Specializes in ortho/neuro/general surgery.

I drink orange juice when I have it with me, that helps perk me up. I've been on nights 3 years. I agree with a lot of the previous posts. Guard your sleep, keep moving during your shifts when possible, and drink lots of water if you can. I only drink coffee as a last resort, if I'm so tired that I start computer-charting in my sleep.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/SICU.

I am not a coffee drinker but I drink an energy drink called High Velocity sugar-free, it is like Redbull but fewer calories and carbs. I drink it around 1 or 2 in the morning. I do not feel jittery or run down when it leaves my body. This is the same stuff I will drink on a workout day as well.

If you are a good sleeper then you should not have a problem. I can sleep anywhere, in cars, on an airplane, on a picket fence if I needed to. I sleep as soon as I get home. Then on my days off I sleep until 1 the latest and go to sleep normal time around 10 or 11 that night. If I have to do another 12 the next day I sleep as long as possible, around 3 or 4. If it is my first night on, I sleep as long as possible in the morning and I usually cannot sleep again before going in but I mope around and take my time unless I am out.

You will find what works for you, I love nights.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Getting good sleep is critical.

Good diet essential.

Exercise necessary.

And, keeping busy kept me awake w/o a problem.

GOOD LUCK!

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I too find that orange juice perks me up. Same thing with moving around. Caffeine also perks me up, but I have to stop drinking it around 0100 or it will keep me up later when I need to be sleeping.

As others have said, guard your sleep time during the day. It is amazing how some people think that since you are home during the day you are available to talk on the phone or go out to lunch, etc... Some people don't seem to understand that you have to sleep during the day since you don't get to sleep at night...at work.

Good luck in your new position.

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