Is adequate rest the most important factor in enjoying night shift?

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I'm wondering if people who dislike night shift bc they feel that it wreaks havoc on their bodies feel that way because they are unable to get adequate rest for whatever reason? Anyone out there have a hard time physically with night shift despite being able to get adequate rest?

Specializes in ICU.
So would you say there's anyway to predict whether you'll be successful on night shift without actually doing it?

I've actually done night shift. I'm ok with it. Yes, that means less time with my children. But it also means more money with my family and a shift I can work. My children are most important. That can also mean financially providing for them. I have the support to work nights. If it can work for us, im going to try. Like I said, I've worked nights before and never got tired until about 0430-0500.

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Specializes in M/S, Pulmonary, Travel, Homecare, Psych..

I guess I'm a lark. I HATE night shift.

I got enough sleep too. So that wasn't the problem. Thing was, I'd take forever to fall asleep, then wake up just in time to eat, bath and go in again. I tried all sorts of interventions but nothing helped.

So I had no social life and no time to get things done before work either. Blah on that.

Not to mention, I was a complete pissy pants the whole time.

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I've actually done night shift. I'm ok with it. Yes, that means less time with my children. But it also means more money with my family and a shift I can work. My children are most important. That can also mean financially providing for them. I have the support to work nights. If it can work for us, im going to try. Like I said, I've worked nights before and never got tired until about 0430-0500.

Does it mean less time with your children though? I feel like with day shift I'd barely see my children. They'd be getting ready for bed when I was getting home, and I would leave in the AM before they're even up. Whereas with night shift, I'd see them in the afternoons after school 3:30-6ish to reconnect before I leave for work.

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I liked nights because the "bureaucracy" was at home in bed. Money was good, too. Left lots of time to do errands and stuff while the sun was up. Hated the physical effects. I was pale, exhausted and irritable. I'd eat like a fiend at 2 am. Early 20's, didn't matter. Now would be a different story all together. I'm in my 50's.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
I want to see this. I may just come. What are the dates?

My talk is on election day- whatever day that is.

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I never could adjust, even with adequate sleep.

I felt as if I was in a perpetual stupor, 24/7/365. Hated it. Paid my dues on nights, and have never looked back.

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My MSN and DNP research is about this very topic. (I've long lobbied for a separate discussion board about night shift issues- but alas...)

Anyway, there is a genetic difference in strongly morning types (larks) and strongly evening types (owls). This difference appears on the CLOCK gene. There is actually a screening tool to measure morningness and eveningness. I almost think that this tool would be useful before extending job offers.

That said, sometimes the lack of adjustment to night is because the person is trying to keep up a daytime existence and not allowing enough time for sleep. For example, mothers of young children who will not place their children in the care of others and instead try to maintain wakefulness for 36 hours to avoid this and still work their shifts. SOMEthing has to give.

If anyone's attending Nursing Management Congress in Vegas this November, I'll be presenting on the topic of nurse fatigue. Fun fact: the presenter right before me (who I am now referring to as my 'opening act') is none other that ZDoggMD!

What a beneficial study this might be. I've long thought that "sharing nights," as a previous poster mentioned might be a solution.

7-7:30 shifts are absurd. Night shift isn't in bed until 9 AM, and day shift isn't in bed until 11PM.

After over 20 years in this gig, working days, nights, and on-call, I've come to the conclusion that a standardized 5-5:30 shift schedule would hit the "sweet spot."

P.S. and Zdawwwwg in da house! That guy is a damn wind-up toy. He just keeps going and going and going....Love him.

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Habitual night walker here. I have been on night shifts or late shifts since I was a teen... Hell hath no fury like me in the morning if I am awakened. Even as a kid I would stay up late and preferred to sleep in. Now that "bad habit" is paying off ;). Fortunately, I am one of those lucky few who can and will swing between day and night shift when necessary (overtime or trading shifts) and will often work both day and night shift in a week. I have 3 kids, 6, 5, and 3. They're all in school while I sleep. Our shift runs 1900-0730. Being a night owl prior to night shift working seems to help.

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If anyone's attending Nursing Management Congress in Vegas this November, I'll be presenting on the topic of nurse fatigue. Fun fact: the presenter right before me (who I am now referring to as my 'opening act') is none other that ZDoggMD!

OK this is the best part of the post... :p just teasing, sort of :D

I would be very interested in this topic. I started working night shift as a PCNA until recently promoted to RN after passing boards and start orientation September 13. I will be working nights to start. I had such a great experience working nights during my precepting. I was foolish enough, though, not to take the advice of my unit manager. I said that I just like to do three 12 hours shifts in a row so there's no break in between. I was thinking it's unrealistic to maintain a normal family lifestyle if you work, say, Monday Tuesday and Thursday night shift (probably sleep Wednesday away as well and come home and sleep Thursday day time away too is what I was thinking). At this time, thouhgh, I really don't get fatigued at night (I stay busy), but driving home I find myself having to pull over to 2 rest areas to take a 15-20 minute snooze and have a 50 minute drive home.

PS: Not complaining about the drive. I made the choice to take this job and love where I am. Hopefully we are planning to move closer next year.

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Habitual night walker here. I have been on night shifts or late shifts since I was a teen... Hell hath no fury like me in the morning if I am awakened. Even as a kid I would stay up late and preferred to sleep in. Now that "bad habit" is paying off ;). Fortunately, I am one of those lucky few who can and will swing between day and night shift when necessary (overtime or trading shifts) and will often work both day and night shift in a week. I have 3 kids, 6, 5, and 3. They're all in school while I sleep. Our shift runs 1900-0730. Being a night owl prior to night shift working seems to help.

Now that I think about it, as a kid my parents had a horrible time getting me to sleep at night, and as a teen I would sit up in bed until late at night, and sleep on the bus and in home room during school. First time in college too I made sure all my classes were scheduled no later than 2 pm. Most of your nursing classes you do not have that choice (Foundations I and II at 715 am almost killed me LOL)

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All depends on the definition of "adequate rest". When I worked nights, I slept the entire time I was off. Still did not feel "rested". My circadian rhythm could not adjust. I was always in a fog and actually lost weight because I did not know when to eat. ( almost worth it to go back to nights .. for THAT side effect).

I bow to those that can handle night shift.

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Specializes in Oncology, critical care.

I'm not sure it's about getting enough sleep exactly. I can manage well on short amounts of sleep if I'm only doing a few shifts in a row (e.g. 2 day/2 nights then off for 4). What seems to make a HUGE difference for me is stress levels during those shifts -- if we're short staffed or there is other craziness going on, I seem to have little energy reserved to cope well with the added stress (if that makes sense!). If it's just a straight up, regular night shift I'm good. But if we're down 2 nurses and have randomly crashing patients and/or multiple trauma admits, I feel a thousand times worse. It feels worse on nights than if the same thing happened on days. Maybe I'm the only one who experiences this?

Also, having a good team to work with makes a huge difference as well. If your team is lousy, your night will feel a lot longer and more stressful (which will carry over into the next day). But having a good team of people you can trust and get along well with makes the night fly by and you'll feel a lot better leaving in the morning.

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