Adjusting to night shift--HELP!!

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I'm a new nurse, and I've accepted a night shift position--11pm to 7am. I didn't get more that 3 hours of sleep at a time during my first week (last week.) I'm back at it again tonight.

Does anyone have advice about how to manage sleeping? I'm looking for tips, advice, drugs : ) --please HELP!!

Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Hey great question!

I have worked nights for about 14 years but until recently worked 8 hour shifts, now I have changed to 12 hour shift and that has been another huge adjustment.

I would say give yourself about 6 months to really adjust to nights. It took me about 6 months to readjust to 12 hour night shifts.

I find that when I worked 8 hour shifts, I slept for about 3-4 hours in the morning and then I had a "nap" before I went back to work that night. It worked great, I actually got a lot done in the afternoon.

Now with 12 hour shifts, I need to really set-up for them, have groceries bought, laundry done etc and then sleep/rest as much as possible during the day.

Working nights is a life style. Sleep becomes extremely important, sometimes the most important thing in my life, if I'm not getting enough. Friendships have to be managed differently. Some friendships can't handle the strain.

The reason I think it takes about 6 months, is that is when you will start knowing how fast you will recover on your days off. Will you "flip" into a regular schedule- (sleeping nights/up during the day). How long will it take you to flip? Then how do you manage yourself to prepare for working again. There are ways to clue your body, but this does take time. And it does take time to feel that you are actually thriving in this schedule! Some of us do love it, but it takes time. I do think we are a special breed. Not everyone can do it, but somebody has to!!! :yawn:

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.

Well, as a kid of a former night shift nurse, I can say that some kids do get it! We knew to be as quiet as possible, and I think we usually suceeded...mom usually had to be shaken awake when it was time to get ready for work.

I work 7p-7a, and I don't think it took that long to get used to it. I do try and clump my shifts together whenever possible (although I try to only work 4 in a row). My first "day" back I stay up as late as I can the night before, sleep in as long as possible, walk my dog quick and eat some cereal and then try to sleep some more till its time to get moving for work. The rest of the days after I leave work I run quick errands (the best time to grocery shop is around 8am!), maybe go to the gym, walk the dog when I get home and have some cereal or something, and try to be in bed ready for sleep by 9:30, and try to sleep till 4:45 pm.

During the week my neighborhood is quiet enough I don't need earplugs...but if my husband works from home, or if its a weekend, I wear the silicone earplugs and I just recently started using a sleepmask. Our room is shaded enough that I don't need it when its quiet, but if there's stuff going on, the mask and earplug combo help me ignore it and sleep. I usually have the ceiling fan on as well. Sleep will become very, very important to you...its amazing how much we talk about it at work...I don't think dayshift has the same focus on sleep that we do!

I've also found that when I am at work, eating one large meal isn't good for my energy...I'm better off if I have little snacks during the night, like the Campbell's soup cups, cheese sticks, protein bars, granola bars, a piece of fruit, stuff like that. Those 100 calorie packs of chips and cookies are good too. Or if we order out, I will usually eat small portions of what I've ordered throughout the night.

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

The first night shift job I had was 15 years ago and I was ALWAYS tired. I had two small children at the time and was told that night shift would aford me the ability to be at their school activities and have lots of time with them. Of course it did, just not quality time because I was a grumpy sleepy person.

My children are in their late teens now (17 and 19) so I don't have to be up at 3p to see them home from school and other sleep inhibitors. I tell my friends and family to remember that I am "at work" from 9a-5p and to please leave one message and I will get back to them. I don't try and stay up during the day on my nights off- switching back and forth is really hell on the circadian rhythm. If I wake up at 2p I act just like I woke up at 2a and roll over and go back to sleep instead of being tempted to get up and go out into the sun.

If only management would take into consideration their night shift workers and stop scheduling inservice and meetings for 2pm so that "the greatest number of staff can participate." I see no reason that a training video that can be shown at 2p cannot be shown at 2am.

Night shift is without the hussel and hassel of the days, enjoy the perks.

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

I have to keep myself on somewhat of a schedule, even on my days off. On my days off, I try to sleep from 3 or 4 am till noonish. I have figured out that I do way better if I keep myself on a schedule instead of trying to flip back and forth. Occasionally I do take tylenol simply sleep (which is basically benadryl) or something like that if I need to go to bed earlier. Just like everyone else has mentioned, the noise and light factor are the biggest issues. I always turn my phone off and I have shades that keep my room pretty dark. My family knows that someone had better be dying if they wake me up, or else they are going to get a phone call from me in the middle of the night :)

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.

I've found that I have to sleep when I am tired (unless at work). I've pulled over on the highway to sleep, or sleep in the middle of the day or night. I'm going to nursing school now, and working at two different ER's. I work days, I work nights. I worked today 7a-7p and tomorrow 4p-4a, Monday is back to 7a-7p.

I have used Benadryl, but make sure you have 8 hours to sleep after taking it. Getting 4 hours sleep after taking it makes getting up much worse!!

If the world was backwards from what it is (if most business was done at night instead of the day time) the world would be different.

Some things about family: No matter what you tell them, they will NOT GET IT that you sleep during the day. If they wake you up during the day, they will act as though you are a slacker or something. Try calling them at 2am to "chat", a couple of those and they will get some clue. Something I'd love to do is take my dad to work with me for a week.

Dark, white noise, cool temps are what help me.

Everyone made good suggestions.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.

Some things about family: No matter what you tell them, they will NOT GET IT that you sleep during the day. If they wake you up during the day, they will act as though you are a slacker or something. Try calling them at 2am to "chat", a couple of those and they will get some clue. Something I'd love to do is take my dad to work with me for a week.

Dark, white noise, cool temps are what help me.

Everyone made good suggestions.

I just wanted to chime in again...this is so true!! My parents and brother "get it" because they've all worked night shift before, they are very understanding. My husband does not get it...he tries, and sometimes he even does okay...but then he will totally forget and start horsing around with the dog at 2pm on our bed while I'm sleeping, and has no clue why I'm upset, and yelling at him. Um, hello, this is my 2 am!!! And his mom likes to make little snide comments from time to time, the two I like the best: while talking to my husband when he goes to their house for the afternoon to let me sleep: "well, she choose this schedule" with just the perfect underlying tone, and the other one, sent to me an email when I had to miss some family function, "i hope you got a good rest"....and the underlying tone making it clear that my day time sleep is unimportant, its just a little nap. Oh well...

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Try calling them at 2am to "chat", a couple of those and they will get some clue.

:lol2:

When I started out on nights, I'd come home, take the kids to school/daycare and sleep at Mom's til time to pick them up. Well, that was the plan, anyway. I'd usually get to bed around 9-10, and at noon every day, Mom would burst into the room, "Are you going to sleep all day?!?"

I kid you not.

So I talked to my Dad (who had worked his share of graveyard shifts) and one night burst into HER room at 2 am. "ARE YOU GOING TO SLEEP ALL NIGHT?!?"

Worked like a charm ;)

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Get a prescription for Trazadone, Dalmane, Ambien, Lunesta, or whatever sleep med you want to try. Use it for a couple of days, just to get your bod into the habit a little of sleeping days. (30 tabs probably cost the same as a week's worth, so make sure your doc gives you a full amount. Tell him or her about the cost and how trustworthy you are, etc.)

There is always generic or real Pyridium and Benadryl and Dramamine over the counter. Don't forget Melatonin and a glass of warm milk, a quietly droning TV or music, the dark curtains, a warm bath, mind-quieting reading, breathing exercises, maybe a pet to sleep next to you.

Getting the room dark, getting kids to a sitter, getting the phone and doorbell off - these are absolutely required. Try to get early morning appointments for whatever you need to do so that you can be home in time to get to bed by about 1300. Or, make appointments for your day off.

I am not trying to get you hooked on meds. Also, none of the meds seem that effective if you take them for more than a 2 or 3 days in a row. So take a Benadryl Monday, nothing Tuesday, a Pyridium Wednesday, nothing Thursday, maybe your prescription Friday, and so on.

Learn when you are sleepiest (besides at night). Sometimes, I am up until about 1300. Other times, I nap (3-4 hours) if I go right home and go to bed. (about 8-12) Then I go back for nap around 6 and sleep another 3-4 hours. I have a short drive, I wash and pack lunch before I lie down in the evening, so can sleep as late as possible. Your case might be different. The trouble with sleeping in the p.m. like that is that you miss seeing your kids and mate - except between after-school time and whenever you lie down. Life is imperfect, though, and you might have to sacrifice a nap some evenings, to get to school concerts, games, etc. You might find you sleep better on rainy, overcast days than when it is sunny. Hooray for winter!

Nights can be very nice. I hope you can make the adjustment. If not, you might have to switch to 3-11 or 7-3. Very seldom do most night workers that I know get a straight 7-8 hours of sleep. We very seldom dream, it seems, which is not a healthy thing. I guess we make up for it, sort of, on our nights off, although true night owls stay up at night even when they are not working.

If your tummy is slightly full, you might sleep better. A little warm milk, some oatmeal, just something light could help.

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Thanks so much for all the great advice.

Things started badly my first week. My mom was visiting from out-of-state, and I felt guilty for sleeping.

I worked last night. Went to bed this morning after having a little breakfast, and woke up 5 hours later. I think I'll do okay on 5 hours for tonight's shift. I guess I'm waking up because it's so bright--so I'm going to try to darken my room, and see if I can get another hour or so.

My husband was great today entertaining my 3 year-old.

I'm going to keep at it, and refer back here for tips.

Thanks so much!

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I put up the blanket over the window to keep out light.

Put in the earplugs when I hear dogs barking or lawns being mowed.

Turn the phone to silent.

And another thing that really helps me... If I find I can't sleep, I change my bedsheets. Clean pj's and clean bedsheets do wonders.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry/PCU, SNF.

I've found having a routine/ritual in the AM when I get home really helps. I commute by public transit and bike so I'm a little keyed up when I do get home (although less than if driving). So I stay up with my wife, watch a little brainless AM TV, have a snack, shower, stretch and off to bed. If I feel like I'm going to have an issue, I'll use melatonin, I don't care for the Tylenol PM or Benadryl route, seems to leave me with a bit of a hangover.

Dark curtain, white noise, no phones, kill the landscaping crew ;) (yes, apartment living sure is fun) and crawl in. The worst days are the first back after several days off. Usually I stay up late, sleep late, and if I wake early, take a nap in the pm before heading out the door.

My $0.002...

Tom

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Get a sleep mask, it will keep out EVERY bit of light.

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