Working night shift, difficulty sleeping during the day!

Nurses Stress 101

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I work night shift, I've been working this schedule for about 6 months now. When I get home around 7:30-8am, I am in bed by 8:30, then what felt like an 8 hour or more sleep turns out to be 3 1/2-4. I wake up at 12pm the latest, and I can't go back to sleep, especially when I have to work that night later on.

I've heard people taking benadryl, sleeping pills and such. Not a big fan of putting medication in my body at all. I rarely even take tylenol for a headache, so I'll hate to have to take benadryl every time after work, or sleeping pills just to get some sleep, because come around 1am-4am of my shift, I am SLEEPY! To the point of no possible return.

What do some of you night shifters do to get into a deep sleep, and be well rested enough, besides benadryl(which I may just have to end up getting)-__-

Some of the coworkers on my floor go to sleep like at 12pm-7pm, but when I get home I'm exhausted from the drag between 1am-4am, I miss my bed and just wanna sleep.

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

I feel like this forum needs a special sub-forum for night shifters to commiserate in.

/agrees with investing in an industrial strength fan

//also, melatonin

Thank You ALL for your input. I tried the dark curtain thing, in that my room has maximum lighting from the sun. Dont know why i never thought the bright sun through my beige curtain could be contributing to difficulty sleeping. i slept well and long during the day 2 days ago, i went to bed at 930 and woke up at about 3pm. that's not the 8 hrs but its about 6 hrs so im happy. Thanks so much guys.

Will get benadryl anyway for back up when needed. :)

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
gloryfied said:
Thank You ALL for your input. I tried the dark curtain thing, in that my room has maximum lighting from the sun. Dont know why i never thought the bright sun through my beige curtain could be contributing to difficulty sleeping. i slept well and long during the day 2 days ago, i went to bed at 930 and woke up at about 3pm. that's not the 8 hrs but its about 6 hrs so im happy. Thanks so much guys.

Will get benadryl anyway for back up when needed. ?

Hey, I'm thrilled that it worked for you!

Oh, yeah. NOC shifters, sleeping becomes an olympic sport, complete with gear.

I am also thinking about starting a forum and some local groups for night shifters social on days off. Its lonely being up all night, and some of my friends are tired of trying to guess when I have 3 days off, so I can spend the afternoon of the middle one hanging out.

1) Sleeping mask! or fleece ski cap pulled down over eyes. Better than blinds for me.

2) earplugs

3) Family instruction, no purposeful waking 9-6 on pain of death

4) fan

5) melatonin, to be taken in short stretches. no hangover, crazy dreams though after 3 days

6) One cup of coffee or 3 of black tea, within first 3 hours of shift only

7) PLENTY of WATER during shift - dehydration can tire

8) same schedule if 1-2 days off, up nights

9) if 3 days off, last day before next shift, 3-4 hr nap in afternoon, up late, to transition back

10) Mid-sleep bathroom run-keep eyes closed as much as possible.

11) Just before going off to sleep, visualize a dark, comfy starry night in the country, beach, or wherever is pleasant to you. Feel that it is actually night outside your room/sleeping mask.

Oddly, I have to remind people at work (the same people that find it so hard to staff night shift!) that a 3pm meeting is the same for me as if they were blithely expected to show up at work at 3am for meetings. I have had to remind them over and over, politely, to keep it to a minimum. If you ever feel selfish asking coworkers or family for any of these considerations, know that you are doing this to be fully present for your patients and for other drivers on the road. Also know that you should let yourself feel fine for asking for these things, even if it were only for your own benefit. You deserve it.

Specializes in Geriatrics, retirement, home care..

Check out the article in General Nursing Articles entitled Night Shift For Newbies. I think you will find it very helpful.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.
gloryfied said:
Thank You ALL for your input. I tried the dark curtain thing, in that my room has maximum lighting from the sun. Dont know why i never thought the bright sun through my beige curtain could be contributing to difficulty sleeping. i slept well and long during the day 2 days ago, i went to bed at 930 and woke up at about 3pm. that's not the 8 hrs but its about 6 hrs so im happy. Thanks so much guys.

Will get benadryl anyway for back up when needed. ?

Glad it worked for you! Try some melatonin, though...I find it doesn't make me groggy when I wake up, unlike Benadryl. There are different dosages out there, but I usually take 3mg and that is sufficient.

Other things I do:

1. I don't have blackout curtains (I have been meaning to get some!) but instead I use an eye mask. Works wonders.

2. If you can, try sleeping with ear plugs. My husband has learned to be quiet when I'm trying to sleep before work but that doesn't mean out neighbors know how to be...or the landscapers when they come mow the lawn or blow leaves by my window -_- (we live in an apartment). I'm a light sleeper so when that happens, I'm awake and then I can't fall back asleep. Ear plugs can help.

3. I'm a coffee fiend. I drink it before I go to work and drink it while I'm at work, but I cut off the caffeine by 0000. Otherwise I won't be able to sleep when I get home.

4. Remember to hydrate. It's so easy to become dehydrated, especially when you drink a lot of coffee like me! And as a PP said, dehydration can tire.

5. I'm in bed by 0800-0830 (depends when I get off from work) and usually sleep until around 1500-1600. There will be some days where you just won't sleep well, though. Keep that in mind.\

6. Keep it cool. You sleep better when your environment is cooler. I live in Texas where it is HOT so I keep the AC on...I also keep the fan on to circulate air and to help keep the room even cooler.

7. Tell your friends/family when you are sleeping. Remember, their 1pm is your 1am! I turn my phone off for this reason but everyone knows when I am sleeping and when I am awake.

Ok, I'm having difficulty sleeping on my nights off. Anyone else having this problem? I am rarely sleepy on my 12 hr night shifts. I am home and in bed by 0800 and sleep until 1600. I use blackout curtains, loud box fan and also keep my eyes closed if I have to make a potty break. I have a terrible time sleeping on my nights off - very fragmented sleep. I've been experimenting with getting up earlier on my 1st day off. For example, I got up at 1500. But fell asleep during a movie with my family that night. Went to bed at 0000 but woke up at 0500! Stayed in bed until 0700 trying desperately to sleep. Got up & went about my day. Took a 2 hr nap that afternoon. Still dozed off while watching tv with the family that night. Went to bed at 0000 & fell fast asleep. But woke up at 0300!!! Toss & turned for about 45 min. Then got up, took a melatonin & read until 0500. Slept until 1000. Heading back to work tonight. Anybody else experiencing this? Any suggestions? I love my job but want to love my life when I'm home. Soooo frustrated!

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Could you be peri-menopausal? That whole fragmented night sleep was almost the death of me in my early 50s.

I have never been able to work night shift. I would suggest to get off the night shift or are you working nights because of babysitting issues? Even second shift would be better than night shift if you cannot tolerate the night hours. I feel for you.

@Marycarney. I dont think so. Im 24 years old. LOL!

@mom2kidzz I have the same problem! Basically just with my first night off. I've been working 3 twelves for a few months now. I have no issue coming home, going to sleep, and sleeping all the way until I have to wake up for work. On my last day I sleep only about 5 hours, and by midnight I'm tired. Then I can only ever sleep until 2 or 3am? Shouldn't I be super tired and sleep more? It's so frustrating. So I get up for a few hours and usually go back to bed for 4 more hours in the early morning. After this one crazy night I'm usually back on a normal schedule involving normal sleep until the next week. Any ideas of what I can do?

Yeah, I have the same problem. Always wake up in the middle of the night on my 1st night off even though I'm exhausted. Sometimes I take one 5mg melatonin & two 25mg benadryls. That does help. If I wake up, I stay in bed & read with a booklight or watch Netflix on my iPhone (using earbuds) so I don't wake my husband.

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