staying healthy while working night shifts

[ceccia]

I've been offered to work nights (7pm - 7 am) and I'm thinking about doing it. Right now i'm really burnt out and where i work, night shift is way less hectic, fewer people to deal with, etc.

But i've never worked nights consistently before, and i'm kind of worried about how to transition to a nocturnal schedule and still take care of myself. i actually prefer to fall asleep in a noisy environment, i find it enjoyable (i know, i'm weird :) but it's so much easier to fall asleep when all my roommates are home and talking/making noise/listening to music). so it won't be a problem to sleep in the afternoons when everyone else is home and doing stuff.

But how do you transition your internal clock to the new schedule? Have you had any negative health effects from working nights on a regular basis? Anything you've found that's helpful for fighting fatigue, etc. when you're basically functioning on the exact opposite of a 'normal' daily rhythm? I don't take meds so i can't trick myself into sleeping on a new schedule with tylenol PM, nyquil, etc.

Any other problems you've encountered since starting to work nights, or any other advice you have about going from days to nights?

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

The biggest health hazards to nights are over the long term. I don't find that I get sick more often. I do feel more fatigued on the days/nights I work( I work part time nights now although I worked full time nights for years.) Even though I'm a night owl, there is something "unnatural" to it. I find I do get nauseated on overnights. I suggest taking healthy snacks to your shift. I drink my one cup of coffee on the way into my shift. I eat my big meal in the morning before bed. I work weekend overnights so I miss out on a lot of mainstream recreational activities. Even though you sleep well with noise, it can be rough with deliveries/phone calls etc interrupting your sleep but you find ways to communicate your needs.

[tara1245]

I'm not a nurse but I have worked the night shift before as a med aide in a assisted living facility. The absolute hardest part for me was the fact that I would switch to a day schedule on my days off. I'm a natural night owl too but even then it was super difficult. Try to totally block all light coming into your bedroom and wear sunglasses on your drive home from work. If your insurance would cover modafinil that might be something to consider trying if you have a hard time staying alert during the adjustment period. (Modafinil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

You might want to try a light therapy lamp when you wake up to help reset your circadian rhythms. Avoid blue light from your computer or tablet in the hours before bed. I have a blue blocking screen that I use if I'm going to be using my notebook in the evening. (lowbluelights.com has them) I also like Flux which is a free program (f.lux: software to make your life better) for windows or apple.

I find I tend to eat more when I'm sleep deprived and I had to make an extra effort to exercise and eat healthy to avoid gaining weight on that shift.

[Despareux]

I've been on nights for just over a year now. I've been sick about four times during this year; more than about 20 years combined. I feel like I have finally adjusted to night shift when it comes to getting enough sleep. Adjusting my sleep schedule took about 5/6 months. Eating and exercising are an entirely different story and I think that's why I've had frequent illnesses; well, besides the fact that I work in a hospital with sick people. If I can get my diet under control and exercise more, I think I would be sick less often. I'll get there, it's just taking various forms of tweeking and practice. Good luck. I love night shift and really dread the day I have to work day shift.

[ceccia]

I find I tend to eat more when I'm sleep deprived and I had to make an extra effort to exercise and eat healthy to avoid gaining weight on that shift.

i'm kind of worried about the nutrition aspect too...when i'm exhausted my appetite disappears. at one point during my first year out of school i had a BMI of 15-something, and not on purpose, i was just tired all the time.

[chrisrn24]

The hardest part for me is the fatigue. I'm always fatigued... I just had 10 days off work and I was still fatigued toward the end. I can fall asleep most times given a comfortable bed...not to say its awful but just know if you are going to go out to a bar late at night on a day off to take a nap before! Stuff like that.

[Sariah94]

I am a CNA who also works NOC shifts from 7-7. I think the main thing is to block out the sun during the day and make sure to eat healthy meals both before work and after. Also, I tend to be a night owl, but I know that some people cannot work nights just like I would have a hard time working an early morning shift. If you need to, switch back to a day shift. Also be prepared for times you just can't fall back to sleep after 2 in the afternoon along with the days you get off and end up sleeping for way longer than you expected.

[bebbercorn]

It's not the healthiest shift, but you can manage if you don't overeat or overcaffeinate. Also, grouping your shifts together so you're doing 3-4 in a row makes it easier to get back into a day schedule. I'm looking forward to finding a different shift, though. Some people aren't cut out for long term night shift, and I'm one of those. If you're an early riser, night shift is probably not for you. I know the money is less on day shift and it can be more hectic, but it's not worth the disruption to your circadian rhythm, imho.