long term night shift work versus health

cathwaves · Oct 18, 2005

hi , where i work nurses work 2 twelve hour days and then 2 twelve hour nights. i think this shift is really hard on your health. Best to do days or nights but not both....any one else familiar with 2 days, 2 nights...doing a paper , let me know. northern nurse

mstigerlily · Oct 18, 2005

Well I've only been working nights since April of this year (3 12s 7pm-7:30am). But I really hated the day shift (3 12s 7am-7:30pm). We have horrible traffic and getting up at 5am, leaving at 6am and sitting in traffic for an hour just wore on me. It was dark when I left and dark when I got home. I was always so tired I'd just fall asleep at 9pm.

Working nights I actually feel better now that I've gotten used to it. I used to be so tired on my days off it would take me a day or two to catch up then I'd go back and start all over. Now I find myself staying awake till 1am on my nights off but I still must get up at 7am to get kids up for school. But the saving grace is my son and I take a nap every afternoon around 1pm-4pm. I keep that schedule on my days on or off so it really helps.

I like having the day off, taking a nap, eating a nice dinner and going to work as the sun is going down. No traffic, it's a nice drive and I like the pace on nights. I like coming home when all those poor people are sitting in traffic just starting their day.

I worked night for years before but it was in a bar working from 6pm-2:30am so not quite the same. But I liked it.

Melissa

Anyone out there have any medical info on this subject ?? thanks

healingtouchRN · Oct 18, 2005

update from my post in '03. Still on nights but just completed massage therapy school & waiting to take boards. Hope to complete my night contract next year & just do nights parttime. 20 years on nights is so long & hard on a body & on a marriage. Nice to make dinner & take a walk under the stars & have a routine! Still think night shift is more satisfying than when I worked days in nursing. Amazing what goes on & that quiet time in ICU when the patient wants to talk or just sleep. :rolleyes:

FroggysMom · Oct 18, 2005

Anyone out there have any medical info on this subject ?? thanks

Check this out. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=98121702&dopt=Citation

:uhoh21:

healingtouchRN · Oct 18, 2005

thanks alot Froggy!! :balloons:

FroggysMom · Oct 18, 2005

hi , where i work nurses work 2 twelve hour days and then 2 twelve hour nights. i think this shift is really hard on your health. Best to do days or nights but not both....any one else familiar with 2 days, 2 nights...doing a paper , let me know. northern nurse

WOW! And I thought it was hard to work 12 hour days, switching to 12 hour nights every two weeks! I can't believe you do it all in one week. That CAN'T be healthy or safe! :eek:

BadBird, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2005

I have to disagree, I love night shift it seems so natural to me. I have trouble sleeping at night and feel physically ill when I have to work daylight so for some of us night shift is the norm.

Hoosiernurse, ADN, RN · Jan 5, 2011

I started nights at a LTC facility about a month ago. Prior to that I was pretty unhappy on a critical care floor in a hospital, doing 3 days a week, driving an hour to get there. I wasn't sure how nights would work for me, plus I chose a weekend opt where I would lose my weekend time with the family. I discovered several things: the lowered stress from going from critical care in the hospital to LTC is fantastic! Also, nights are super because I don't have to deal with most doctors, most family, etc. We have our challenges, and busy nights, but it's still nothing at all like it was in the hospital. I am not a type A, so I am thankful I finally found a pace that works for me better. As for the weekend part, I work from 6:30p-7am, two days a week, 6 minutes from my home, and make as much as I did in three days at the hospital, and I don't have the two hour-round trip drive. Fantastic! I just make sure to make time with family during my FIVE days off! WHOO HOO!

I come home after a work night, eat breakfast, spend a little time with the kids and hubby before they go to school and work, and then fall into bed when everyone is gone, about 8AM. I use a white noise maker, and block as much light as I can from the windows. I sleep, most days, pretty well. I get up about 3-4 pm, and have two hours before I have to leave for work, so I can get ready slowly. When my weekend shifts are over, I usually stay up at night until 3AM rather than 8AM so that I can have more time with my family during the days and see some daylight. It has been really great to me and this schedule is the best!

I think stress in a day job can take just as much time, if not more, off your life as those who have problems with night shift. It just depends on the person. For me, I always enjoyed nighttime a lot and I get the best of both worlds with so much time off between work days. On Friday, I just make sure I stay up until 7AM so I can get back into the sleep schedule I'll need for the weekend. You have to see what works for you!

Davey Do · Jan 5, 2011

It's cool, HoosierNurse, how you retrieved this thread from 2003 to 2005 and chimed in with the last to post!

Since we're talking about working the Night Shift, I'll put in My Story: I get to have the advantage of being able to turn the clock appproximately 12 hours the other way and keep My Life on a Midnight Schedule.

Having no Children or other Family Members I affect no one else's schedule. My Significant Other, Belinda, is a Midnight Nurse. And a few of my Friends also work the midnight Shift, so I'm not at a loss for companionship.

As far as my health goes, I feel better working Midnights at age 53 than I did working Straight Days at age 35. I sleep about 8 hours a day (12 noon to 8pm) and exercise at least five times a week. I eat right and get all my Basic Physiological Needs met on a regular basis.

I think one of the most unhealthy things about working Midnights is trying to live in a Day World. That's hard on the Ol' Bod. Hopefully, I've found the key: Adjust One's Routine to fit One's Work. It works for me.

Dave