Permanent nights..now anxiety/panic when I try to sleep...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi all

I am a new nurse (off orientation for 2 months) and I have been working permanent nights since September, and although I work well at night and can sleep fine during the day, I have found that when I am off of work I try to sleep and have a panic attack as soon as my head hits the pillow. I guess it could be the stress of the new job, but a typical night off is like this: I stay up as much as possible all day, or I sleep late due to being on a night schedule, then when my entire family goes to bed at say, 10-11pm, I start getting really anxious because I KNOW I am going to be up till 4am, sometimes later. And when I do lay down to sleep, I used to just nod off with no problem, now I toss and turn and my heart is pounding the whole time.

It has really taken a toll on me, and I have taken Benadryl (a very small dose of 12.5 mg) to get to sleep recently, but I am very reluctant to take any medications for fear of becoming dependent. I have already asked to go back to day shift, and will in December, but now it seems I have fallen into this anxiety habit when it comes time to sleep at night...NOT GOOD!!:uhoh3:

Anyone else suffered with this problem? Any advice would be appreciated!! I have suffered with panic attacks in the past in times of stress, but never took meds for them.

Thanks so much!!

Been there, done that! LOL! I am working right now as a CNA working nights...and I work 11-8am...I had that same problem in the begining. Partially I think I psyched myself out so much like you do about not being able to fall asleep...second...I think it was the stress of going to school trying to get my grades up for nursing school and working full time. My doctor prescribes .25mg xanax for me...I only take it when needed...and 20 of them lasts me a long time...but when I really have to sleep that seems to help put my mind at ease a bit. I took them more in the begining...but I think my mind is now starting to relax whenever I CAN sleep.

I AM a night owl...always have been and LOVE it...but it's scary not having a normal sleep schedule like the rest of the "normal" people out there !LOL!

Hang in there...I also drink a tea called Sleepytime tea before bed...it has Valerian and Chamomile in it that REALLY help you sleep.

Good luck to you...let us know how it goes.

Claire

Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Flight.

nights.. ... well

its the best shift..

you are new

you will get used to it... 12.5mg of benadryl?... for real?

take 50 if ya can't sleep!

you shouldn't get hooked

talk to your doc and get some ambien if ya need too..

it just takes time to get used too...

once you are acclimated.... you will love it... as all the rest of us vampires do~~

good luck....

you will do fine~

:cool:

I have the exact same problem. I've been doing night-shift since June, and cannot sleep on my nights off. It has nothing to do with work stress and everything to do with my internal clock being off. I sleep like a rock during the day. Finally, I resorted to taking Ambien 5mg on my nights off. I'm hoping I can shift my time clock back when I go to days in 3 weeks.

Specializes in PACU.

I work nights, too, and love being up all alone on some of my nights off. Sometimes I'll go out with friends or something (some of them are nocturnal, too), but other times I'll just pop in some DVDs or hang out on my computer (like I am right now :) ).

You should be able to reduce the anxiety on your nights off by making them FUN times to relax. I don't know what you're interested in, but you could potentially read, sew, cook (minimizing clanging for the sake of your family members), shop for groceries, or do whatever else makes you happy.

Avoid changing your sleep schedule too much on your days off.

Specializes in Telemetry/CCU/Home Health.
:zzzzzI started working night 3 months ago and started having this problem myself. I started having panic attacks on my night off also. I started working out on my nights off with a treadmill. I think it has to do with being on the go all night long. I get on it when my shift usually would start and go for 1/2 hr to 1hr depending how energetic I feel. This has helped at lot and I sleep like a rock usually by 2am. Hopes this helps.

I am definately going to try this! Thanks for all of the replies, looks like I need to get me some tea too!

Glad to know i am not the only one dealing with this. I went on here (allnurses) one night at 4:30 am, hoping to see some of the night owls like me chatting in the chat room or something, but the only people on the forum lived in New Zealand, UK, or California!! Not that I wouldn't like to talk to nurses from around the world, but I was kinda looking for someone who was "up" like me. :lol2:

Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

I have worked nights for many years and know (obviously) many people who do as well. I will tell you that I know very few that are able to "flip" that quickly back into an awake day, asleep night schedule. It usually takes a day to do it. So, I would recommend sleeping when you get home, spending some quality time with your family when they get home and then plan on getting some stuff done around the house. Most people are tired by 2 or 3 AM without the stress of trying to make themselves sleep and then the next day is usually "flipped" back. You have to be REALLY gentle with yourself. It usually takes a good 6 months to start adapting to a new sleep schedule and then even longer to learn to thrive on that schedule. It can be done. I think you may have had too high expectations for yourself. Working nights is a HUGE adjustment, even if a person considers themselves a "night person". We are not wired for that schedule and need to gently adjust our natural tendencies. Relax. Have you ever tried meditation? It seems now that you are going to have to gently deprogram yourself from the fear you experienced about not being able to work nights. It will soon be over. You need some consistent loving, gentle, reassuring self-talk.

Specializes in med/surg.

I have worked night shift for 5 years and I know that some people just cant work the shift. This may be your body telling you to get off this shift. Take care of yourself and see your doc if the attacks continue.

Specializes in Telemetry/CCU/Home Health.

Thanks again for the replies, just finished two nights and well, slept like a baby during the day with very little anxiety falling asleep. Its as if my body has COMPLETELY reversed itself! I feel exactly like I used to feel at 5 am waking up at 5pm waking up.....pretty amazing....I also am going to try and stay up today and sleep tonight, I don't work again till Thursday night.

+ Add a Comment