I sleep my life away

Rabid Response · Jul 9, 2011

The same thing happened to me when I worked nights. Because I have a family and other obligations I could not keep to a regular schedule of being awake nights and sleeping days; I was always short a few hours of sleep. When I did finally get to sleep for an uninterrupted period, it was not unusual for me to sleep 18 hours at a stretch. After I switched to day shift I was amazed to find that I only needed 6-7 hours of sleep each night to feel rested.

Multiple doctor visits and tests showed nothing wrong. I cured myself by switching to days. I feel so good that I don't miss the pay differential. It's worth it to feel human again.

Maybe you should cut out the daytime OT?

mediatix8 · Jul 9, 2011

Could you be pregnant?

caliotter3 · Jul 9, 2011

Could you be pregnant?

:eek:

mediatix8 · Jul 9, 2011

Seriously I think it's time for a pregnancy test. Sleeping for 17 hours? You've been doing this OT thing for the past 6 months and it's only been in the past few weeks you've been overly tired. If you aren't pregnant, I still think it's something other than your work schedule. Thyroid? Well I'm sure your doctor will figure it out when you see him/her.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

Just curious if this is "normal"... I have been working 7p-7a for about a year, for the last 6 months I have picked up an extra OT shift during the day. So I usually work 3 night shifts per week and one day shift per week. Over the last 4-6 weeks I have been sleeping way more than normal. I'm so tired I don't feel like working out or even getting up to eat. Usually in between shifts if I have days/nights off I will sleep for 17 hours!! I have a appointment with the doctor next week just to check but I was curious, anyone sympathize or have a similar situation?

Going to the MD is always a good thing and there are meds to help you if that is what you need for more wakefullness during the day or days off. Nights are VERY hard, 90% of the population, including the hospitals, are clueless about working nights. Man is NOT a nocturnal animal and throwing off the body's circadian rhythm has a price to pay.

I have always been best suited for evenings myself and after I got married and had my babies I went to straight nights. While perfect for my children it was hard on me. Working nights is unique, no one's mowing the lawn at 3 am, no one is calling to sell you something at 2 am, and no one wants dinner at 4 am. A night nurses plight is lawn mowing, phones ringing, food cooking, children fighting, a million......'Honey? I hate to bother you but...", and "Oh,never mind go back to sleep".......While the sun is shinning, the birds are singing, the dogs are barking and the children are playing.

My favourite is when it's 8:30 by the time you get home. You change clothes maybe get a bite to eat. Try to relax because you have to go to sleep because you are back out tonight. YOu finally fall asleep about 9:30 and the next thing you know the phone rings.....you roll over....it's 1230. That means You have been asleep for just 3 hours and the hospital staffing office calls and says

"Hi, I thought I would let you sleep a while before I called....did I wake You???" DUH...... WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT:eek:????? YOU ARE SUPRISED I'M SLEEPING?If you got to bed at 9:30 at night......"ARE YOU STILL SLEEPING AT 12:30AM??????? IF I CALL YOU AT 12:30 AT NIGHT WOULD I WAKE YOU????????? :devil: ......man the ignorance of some people..... :smokin:

I made very special rules and I didn't vary from them. I had a cell phone strictly for the school for my kids (and my hubby).....NO ONE had that number and all phone ringers in the house were shut off. I put a note on my outside door......

"BEWARE: Owner works nights. Ring Bell and disturb sleep at your own risk and can run faster than the dog!":smokin:

I never flipped shifts and I maintained the hours even on days off (loosely). I slept in a very dark place. I actually made black shaded fitted to a simple frame and would attach them with velcro to the window. White noise was a must.......I was very strict about my sleep habits and being distured. I told my hubby.....it he didn't like it I could always quit and stay at home with my kids. They are in 9th and 10th grade now and while I've spent the last 16 years sleep deprived it was worth it.

Some people never get used to nights. But you aren't abnormal and yes I've been there, yes I sympathize and yes it's a good idea to get checked out.......:)

CCRNDiva, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

I feel your pain, you are living my life, lol!!! I've worked nights since I finished orientation as a new nurse 7yrs ago. Like the above poster, I stayed because it was better for my kids. Their dad worked days and had to be @ work by 0530. I was usually home before 7 to take them to school and I was home when they came home and he would be with them at night. It was hard on me and my marriage but we agreed it was best for the kids. I'm now divorced (a long story but I wonder if our separate shifts played a part, hmmm) and I find it easier to have someone stay the night with my kids than find someone to pick up my son from his afterschool program, feed them, homework etc until I could get home from a day shift (about 8pm). I feel like I'm trapped on the night shift.

You add being a full time student to the mix and you get one exhausted RN/mommy all the time. I feel like I'm sleeping my life away too. I go through cycles where I'm fine then I'll have a few months when I can't sleep during the day, between shifts then I'm sleeping all day into the evening when I'm off a few days. There are nights when we eat dinner @ 9pm. It's nuts but I'm hoping once I'm done with school (hoping for grad school in the fall) I'll be able to live a normal sleep life.

Working nights is hard on the body. I should know, my mom loves to send me all the articles or news reports that discuss how I'm shaving yrs off of my life and increasing my risk of heart disease, cancer etc, lol.

Art_Vandelay · Jul 9, 2011

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :yawn: Sorry, I would have answered sooner, but I was asleep. Seriously though, I have the same problem. I slept two days straight last weekend interspersed with checking AN. Don't miss that appointment with your PCP.

AgentBeast, MSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

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Nothing wrong with a little Sam Cooke in this thread is there? Maybe some of you should go to this place he's talking about because Travis Tritt says:

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nightengalegoddess · Jul 9, 2011

Either days or nights. Don't shorten your life this way. All the cash in the world is not worth it. the human body deserves bounderies. Set them for yourself. I bet you can get an extra NIGHT if you speak with your manager, and the staffing team. There is always a short staff night every week. Long ago, when I started working; my grandfather from the depression told me..."never work swing shift. It will make you crazy"..........this is what he meant. Days OR nights...you are very healthy probably, and your body is just screaming to keep you that way...blessings....and REMs..........

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

For sure. I work permanent nights. I refuse to work any job with rotating shifts. I won't do it, not even for nursing. Days or nights. That's it.

Pia Mater · Jul 9, 2011

Get a sleep study done. I had the same problem until I found out I had sleep apnea. I was sleeping a lot but not getting good quality sleep. Good luck!

ICU, RN, BSN, B.S. · Jul 9, 2011

Just curious if this is "normal"... I have been working 7p-7a for about a year, for the last 6 months I have picked up an extra OT shift during the day. So I usually work 3 night shifts per week and one day shift per week. Over the last 4-6 weeks I have been sleeping way more than normal. I'm so tired I don't feel like working out or even getting up to eat. Usually in between shifts if I have days/nights off I will sleep for 17 hours!! I have a appointment with the doctor next week just to check but I was curious, anyone sympathize or have a similar situation?

Right when I saw your post...I knew you were talking about the nightshift. I hate the nightshift, and unfortunately have to go back to nights soon after my ICU orientation. I'm pretty sure your SUPER DUPER tiredness is from nights. Whenever I do nights, go to sleep for 7 hours, and wake up and feel like a truck ran me over. I felt like that all the time. Sometimes even after sleeping more I feel so crappy. It's just a horrible shift for your body; messes up your circardian (spelling) rhythm, eat patterns, normalcy, everything gets messed up. I would suggest stop picking up dayshift OT. THat is prob messing you up even more than the nightshift does already.