Day shift vs. night shift

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 28, 2017

It depends. All the above is true. But for me, it came down to physical health working days versus nights. When I hit 40, I hit the "wall" and could no longer tolerate night shifts. My body ached constantly and my sleep suffered, hence my health did too. I was sick more and longer. Once I went to days, all that cleared up and I have not even had a cold since 2006. (knock on wood). I am healthier, more alert and feel much better working days now.

My health was worth the price of less pay/differential and busier days. Well worth it. I don't think I could go back to fulltime nights for any reason. I just couldn't. It makes me sick.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2017

Nightshift is far from "peaceful" or "quiet."

I did not quite say that nights were "peaceful" or "quiet." I think you may be referring to my two-year-old post below, but in a roundabout manner.

Night shift: more money, more camaraderie, more peace, more quietude, more likely to die earlier (I'd rather die sooner than work daylight hours).

Rather, I said that nights had more peace and quietude than days. As someone who worked nights for years until leaving the bedside last year, I stick by my opinion.

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 28, 2017

I just switched to days and here is my take:

Night shift has far more pros than cons, but the few cons it does have can greatly outweigh the pros.

Although one makes more money, the coworkers are (usually) cooler, and there is no management and fewer visitors, it can wreck havoc on one's personal life. I spent most of my time outside of work sleeping, eating and sleeping. I had very little energy for anything else. Plus, my coworkers who work nights and have children practically feel like zombies from such lack of sleep and trying to live like a day-shift worker on their nights off.

So while I do miss the money and my co-workers, I don't miss having my life revolve around my sleep schedule and always missing out on life in general. I love being home in the evenings with family and/or my boyfriend...waking up with them in the morning is priceless. Going out and enjoying my days off is worth the pay cut. Plus, if I want more money, I have a PRN job that pays what my job in overtime would pay, so there's that.

I do recommend new grads going into nights to get their routine down before switching to the craziness of days.