Night Shift might be killing me

Nurses Stress 101

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Any night shifters here? I'm only 30 (soon to be 31) and I feel like my body is falling apart. I've been working night shift since college (about 10 years give or take). I've gained weight, can't sleep, my joints ache - i feel like a 90 year old!!! Advice?

I've been working solid nights for going on 9 months now. It was really tough in the beginning, and I have found that if I can work the same 3 days every week, it helped a lot. I know that those two days in the middle, I just have to rest and sleep. I'm usually nodding off between 8 and 9 in the morning and try to sleep at least until 4 pm. Sometimes, I'll wake at 12:30/1 pm, but I force myself to go back to sleep. My difficult days are the day before and the day after my threes. I'm still working on that, but like many of the others who like night shift...the idea of waking to go to work at 7 am fills me with more dread and I know that clinicals which I start in January are going to be tough.

I think that you really need to think what is best for your body...if you are finding yourself really suffering and getting sick, you need to change shifts...even if it means a change in salary...you only get one body...you don't want it breaking down on you prematurely.

Kris

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Any night shifters here? I'm only 30 (soon to be 31) and I feel like my body is falling apart. I've been working night shift since college (about 10 years give or take). I've gained weight, can't sleep, my joints ache - i feel like a 90 year old!!! Advice?

No advice. I can relate. I have only been on nights for a month. I'm 34. Once I go to sleep, no matter how many hours I get, I never wake feeling even semi-rested. 5 hours of sleep while working dayshift is much different than 5 hours of sleep while working nights. When I wake, my eyes burn, and I am so sleepy. I'm having a hard time working out: too tired in the morning after work, and too tired when I wake up before work. Hope I get to dayshift soon.

When I was in my early 20's I had the same problem working nights.

I've been off work for 2 hours already today. When I finally do go to sleep, no matter what time it is, I'll wake up at 3pm, and cannot go back to sleep.

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Worked 12 nights for over 2 decades. Loved it. And when I was your age nothing bothered me atall. Get off at 7 am and head across the street to the golf course, get in a fast 18, take a nap and do it all over. Or get off at 7 go to the health club. Or get off at 7 take my wife to breakfast. I just made it work. Trick is getting and keeping your activity level up. Come to think of it, I still do all those things and Im 2.5 decades farther along than you.

Geez. Get in a fast 18? How fast is fast? That's putting in some hours, right? Maybe my problem is I'm just a lazy sloth. I'm envious.

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Specializes in Pain Management.

I'm going to have to amend my previous post:

I'm looking for a day shift position. I've lost 20 pounds in the past two months which includes a fair amount of muscle.

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Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.

at first i thought working the night shift would be fine for me cuz i dont sleep at night!! but since i'm in school i have no choice but to work night shift! its o.k but often i have to go to school the very same morning and it is very stressful!!:( i know its taking a huge toll on me, i feel like my nerves are shot!

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Well, I will have to work nights while going to school, but I'll be working Fri, Sat and Sun (no school on Mondays). I'm trying to save up my PTO so that when I may need to, I can take Fridays off. Unless you are super used to nights, I would not, NOT, work the night before you have class. It takes time to get used to working nights, so unless you have been working nights for a while, I wouldn't suggest starting working on nights. Your body will be going through enough stress, you don't need to add the stresses of nursing school.

Kris

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I don't mind nights. I am anything but a morning person and as a new nurse, nights give me the opportunity to look into the things I don't understand. When I was on days, I was like a chicken with my head cut off. I'm sure it won't always be this way, eventually I'll find my groove and get tired of being up all night and sleeping all day (btw..I have no problem sleeping at any hour of the day if I'm tired enough), but then again maybe not. Don't dispair new night nurses, nights are not all bad...and they're more money too.

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i have worked nights for over 5 years now, but i do 8 hour shifts, i am tired after 4 in a row, but luckily my hosp allows 72 hours to be full time with full time bennies, so i work 72, that other day off, helps so much. i am an lpn and the shift differential is something i need. so i just do the best i can. I do enjoy working that shift, but the pay off is being tired at times.

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All my life I thought I was a night and evening person. Then midway, (at 30 ish) I found daytime was great for me. Then as I passed 50, I found evenings fit me better. We are different people at different times of our lives. Work whats fits in for you and feels right for your body and life now. If you have to make choices for children or wages, make sure it is just a short term change and you can return soon to a shift that fits you.

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Specializes in MCH, L&D.

I just accepted an offer to work nights. I'm not sure how it will work for me, as I become very cranky when I don't get enough sleep. Hoping and praying to God that a day shift opens up for me. Also what exactly does "noc" stand for?

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hi all. i can relate. i graduated nursing school last may. the only jobs around were night shift. i accepted one. i have multiple health problems already, but nights did not help. i stayed sick all night long. i would vomit constantly. my wbc count became very low so my hematologist said i had to get off nights. luckily, i was able to get a part time day position, eventhogh i lost my sign on bonus. working part time was not what i planned, but i am thankful i am working. hopefully i will get a full time day soon. nights are not for everyone. we must take care of our on health.

:nurse:

god is good!

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:(Hello all

Haven't visited here in a while, but find myself returning ~ it is a good place to get ideas/helpful hints from others who know what you are going through.

I have worked nights most all my years of nursing (30+), except a couple years of 3p-11p, and a few months 7a-7p when I got bumped out of my night position. (20 years 11p-7a and then 10 years 7p-7a).

I prefer nights ~ it feels too stressful to me in the day time. But now, I am struggling with sleep difficulties ~ the night time sleep is pretty good, but the day time sleep, maybe a couple hours and I just can not go back to sleep. Went to the dr for help ~ she prescribed Provigil. For the life of me I can not understand how a medicine that is supposed to keep people awake will help me sleep, but she tells me to give it a try, that several nurses take it and it has helped them. I am on my second day of it (maybe it takes time for it to begin helping???) and so far, I am getting even less sleep. GRrrrr frustrating.

Part of me wants to find a different job ~ something less stressful. As I have gotten older, things seem so much more stressful to me. Also nursing has changed so much from when I first began. I currently work at a hospital based skilled nursing unit. It is supposed to be a unit that is slower paced, but they send us patients who are often too sick to be there and we don't have them very long and they end up going back to an acute floor. There is a nursing home real close to my home, and I toy with the idea of looking into a job there ~ thinking it might be less stressful, and that maybe I could do the day shift there and cope ok. It sure would feel better to be able to feel rested, but I always end up deciding to stay put where I am. I want to sleep and feel better, but I have reservations about the nursing home ~ where I am now, patients come and go, but at a nursing home, if you get some patients that are difficult and you really don't enjoy having to take care of them or they have difficult families ~ you are stuck with them for who knows how long. Also, I am having a hard time ~ the thought of giving up my extra days off that I get by working the 12 hour shifts (don't think they have them at that nursing home). Having to go to work just 3 days a week is so much more appealing than having to go there 5 days a week.

Things seem to kind of come to a head when this sleep problem gets to me. Then I try to keep hanging in there (don't especially like change) ~ I like my coworkers.

What to do.....What to do???????

Thanks for listening. Maybe someone will have some helpful suggestions.

Take care all Gayle

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