If you work nights, what are your days off like?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

Do you keep to the same schedule on nights off, or switch back to daytime living? What do you do to exercise and relax? Do you find that you just get less sleep now than on a daytime work schedule, or the same amount spread out differently?

I'm just curious. I thought I would be able to catch up on sleep after working two nights in a row, then have a relatively unencumbered day life. Instead, I'm finding that I actually have more trouble sleeping now, and stay up quite a bit later than I used to, even on nights off.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

unfortunately first day wasted sleeping

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB.

It's tough. When I worked full-time nights I was never able to completely switch back to a day schedule. My days off ended up something like waking up around 1 or 2 p.m., and going to bed around 3 a.m. I became well acquainted with Netflix during the 3-4 hours I was still up after my husband went to bed!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I generally stay on the same schedule when I'm off.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

My days off are like living in Zombie World, seriously. I'm looking for a day shift position and hope to find one very soon. My sleep is so disordered from nights that when I'm off I sleep for 3 hours and then up for 5 hours, and then back to bed I go. I've tried the tricks and the sunglasses and the blackout curtains, etc. Nothing really solves the issue for me. I guess my constitution isn't made for nights :( Which stinks because I love the staff, the workflow, and everything else on nights.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB.

Long term night shifter here. On my days off I go to bed about 4 am and get up about 11 am or noon. That way I can still get "daytime" activities done but don't mess up my sleep cycle.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education.

Days off - stay up late, sleep all morning. If I don't sleep at all for a couple days, then I have ambien or benadryl to take, but I tend to end up with hangovers after those.

But my days off are spent doing things around the house and running the errands at stores that seem to be open at the strangest of hours, like 1000 - 1800...:cheeky:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Rotator here! I used to stick to the schedule when I was younger and working nights more frequently. I would stay up until 6am just watching Netflix or on the computer and sleep all day. I very quickly became depressed. Now I work far fewer nights, but when I do I go right back to being awake during the day and going to bed before midnight. I refuse to sleep my days away. I consider my time off from work precious, so that usually wins over my sleepiness.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I try to stay up all day following my shift, or if working two in a row, stay up all day following my last shift. It can be difficult, but as long as I attempt to stay busy and not give into sitting or relaxing for too long, I'm usually okay. There are days though when I come home and crash from an exhausting shift.

Unfortunately, I am not one of those people who can work a night shift ,come home and sleep a few hours, get up and spend the majority of the day/afternoon awake and productive and then go to sleep at a normal time with my family. When I go to sleep, it's always for at least 8-9 hours. Then I'm just waking as everyone else is winding down and I'm awake all night, alone, bored and limited in what I can get done as I have to be quiet so my family can sleep. I wish I could get away with 5-6 hours of sleep at a time, but I just can't function on that amount.

I love nights, but I can feel the toll it's taken on me and I hope to switch to days in the near future. The interrupted sleep, isolation and constantly fighting against what your internal clock wants to do eventually wears you down.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

After a 3 day run I sleep all day which negates my day off. After that I stay up till 3-4am and sleep till 11. Rinse repeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Med Surg, Ob/Gyn, Clinical teaching.
It's tough. When I worked full-time nights I was never able to completely switch back to a day schedule. My days off ended up something like waking up around 1 or 2 p.m., and going to bed around 3 a.m. I became well acquainted with Netflix during the 3-4 hours I was still up after my husband went to bed!

Exactly ma schedule now.....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiopulmonary Stepdown/Cath Lab, ICU.

I've always been a night person. So nights works well for me. Days off I usually sleep until 11 or Noon and stay up until 3 or 4. I almost always get 7-8 hours of solid sleep, guess I'm lucky from what I hear from co-workers. I do switch to a "normal schedule" when I am on vacation or off >4 days. Do all my chores/shopping/fun stuff on my days off since most other professions work until 15-1700 anyway

I usually work out 4-5/week or more. Usually go to the gym after work. I figure if I'm spending 12 hours trying to make others better, then I can spend 1-2 making myself better.

Everyone's routine is different, and some people just physically cannot do it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment