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

[Hmfog]

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?

[24gaDalek]

I have been night shifting for 4 years. I do not sleep well during the day without medication. My problem is that if I wake up to use the restroom or for any reason (noises outside, etc.) after having 4 or more hours of sleep my body thinks I was taking a nap and there is no more sleep after that. I have tried everything to get adequate rest (adequate for me would be 7-8 hours) but what it boils down to is that I cannot override my circadian rhythm. The people I work with who handle night shift the best are the ones who do not flip flop between sleeping schedules. The longer they have held the night shift ritual the better they adjust. Having children, this would not work for me so I flip flop back and forth and cope with feeling varying degrees of tired/exhausted 99% of the time.

There are couches and blankets and pillows in our break room for night shift. Many people choose to take naps during their lunch break which helps them get through the shift.

Not adjusting well to night shift is a bummer for me because it really does work best for our family schedule. I also enjoy the more laid back feeling to the shift and my coworkers. I am going to suffer through it for a few more years and then figure out how to get off of it.

[Hmfog]

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

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.

sorry, so what was the advice of your preceptor? And why do you dislike working three nights in a row?

[StrwbryblndRN]

I have been nights as an RN for 9 years. I used to work nights at my previous job also. All friends/husband worked nights too which made socializing easy. (before kids) My personality is completely nights. I spend more time with my kids working nights because I am getting up when they get home from school. Not because I have to, but because my body is waking up for the day. I have not used an alarm in years. (except for meetings that begin in the am). Pay is better and I just flat out like it.

I also use to work Fri, Sat and Sun for 3 years. My husband was an at home dad at the time. As long as you do not commit yourself to anything between shifts it can be easy to work three in a row.

[Hmfog]

I have been nights as an RN for 9 years. I used to work nights at my previous job also. All friends/husband worked nights too which made socializing easy. (before kids) My personality is completely nights. I spend more time with my kids working nights because I am getting up when they get home from school. Not because I have to, but because my body is waking up for the day. I have not used an alarm in years. (except for meetings that begin in the am). Pay is better and I just flat out like it.

I also use to work Fri, Sat and Sun for 3 years. My husband was an at home dad at the time. As long as you do not commit yourself to anything between shifts it can be easy to work three in a row.

I definitely wouldn't plan anything between. I would think of those as "work days." I mean, you've gotta sleep!

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

I worked nights for 17 years. It's hard. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't. Your body is programmed to sleep when the moon is up and be awake when the sun comes up. Though there are people who can adjust to it (myself included), it isn't ideal and works against your better health.

What works for many won't work for others. I did my best not to work days in a row. That way I could nap a little after a shift because I knew I didn't have to go back to work that day. Then I got a good sleep that night and a nap during the day before a shift. Eating right, exercising also help.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

I know for a lot of people it's the feeling of social isolation that comes with working night shift. I like working night shift and I probably will end up doing that after my residency is over but I am something of a hardliner when it comes to completely switching over my sleep schedule. My partner was in law enforcement and, as they rotate shifts, would never adapt fully to night shift because she felt like she missed out on too much on her off time. That caused a touch of resentment, especially when it got to the point that she could no longer sleep during the night and her days off would also be destroyed. For me, as I would be one or the other, I would have to adapt fully to nights to make it (and, honestly, I do truly prefer being up at night and always have been) but I know I would be missing out on life. I encouraged her to try and do the same schedule everyday but she is much more of a morning person than I am (I would flip flop with her to help her sleep and flip flopping schedules is sheer brutality). I worked nights briefly before my dream job came along and I was still in nursing school so I never got to do the full switch. I'd also be one of those loons who does stuff after the shift (I would try not to before unless it was to exercise or something) because I already do that during days (also, working an extra 5 hours overtime -- night time is magical).

That being said, it sounds like you have a pretty optimal situation for adapting to night shift work. The family support is there, your environment is prime (which is so tremendously vital -- nothing boils my blood faster than some jackass mowing their lawn at 6:30 AM on a Saturday --- what are you doing?!?!?!), and it gives you the opportunity to spend quality time with your kids. I know you're largely concerned about making it through nights based on potential sleep deprivation. Once you get used to it (just like I had to adapt to days...bleh), it won't be as hard as you think especially since you seem to have all the boxes checked for daytime sleep success. I would just recommend a nice sign that tells people to buzz off during the day (a family down the street from me has one that warns potential solicitors not to knock or ring the doorbell on punishment of death for waking up their toddler -- many shift workers use these signs as well to much success). I've used post-it notes but it's windy where I live and a permanent sign would be taken more seriously.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I worked permanent nights for 4.5 years. Usually I could sleep during the day, but even when I couldn't, nights were no problem. I come alive at night.

Days are opposite for me. No matter how much sleep I have, I am not wired for days. I've adapted, but I don't like days.

The flipping from nights to days to nights hurts most people. I maintained the same schedule on my nights off.

[AutumnApple]

I worked nights for 17 years. It's hard. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't. Your body is programmed to sleep when the moon is up and be awake when the sun comes up. Though there are people who can adjust to it (myself included), it isn't ideal and works against your better health.

What works for many won't work for others. I did my best not to work days in a row. That way I could nap a little after a shift because I knew I didn't have to go back to work that day. Then I got a good sleep that night and a nap during the day before a shift. Eating right, exercising also help.

I did nights for some time, so despite my problems with it and my hating it, it was either adjust or find a new job.

I went through a period where I was functioning, but not ideally.

During that time period, the scheduler knew to never give me three days in a row. I'd do two in a row, but not three. I found not having to work multiple days in a row made all the difference. At least then, although I was not enjoying working nights, I managed to keep it from becoming unhealthy.

I did have to give up a weekend day here and there because of this. Since I didn't want to work three in a row ever, sometimes the schedule just worked out that I had to pick up a weekend day that wasn't on my weekend (snarks, fully aware that this was probably just there way to get weekend coverage). It was a fair trade off for me though. Respect that I don't do three in a row, I'll do an extra weekend shift once in a while.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

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

I think a good attitude is the most important factor in enjoying night shift. If your attitude is poor, no amount of sleep is going to make you enjoy the night shift. If you have a good attitude, you'll figure out how to make the adjustments to make it work.

Granted, there is a very small number of people who just cannot seem to make it work -- but the vast majority of us CAN make it work with a good attitude and willingness to MAKE it work.

[Hmfog]

I think a good attitude is the most important factor in enjoying night shift. If your attitude is poor, no amount of sleep is going to make you enjoy the night shift. If you have a good attitude, you'll figure out how to make the adjustments to make it work.

Granted, there is a very small number of people who just cannot seem to make it work -- but the vast majority of us CAN make it work with a good attitude and willingness to MAKE it work.

Great advice...thanks!

[didi768]

First time I worked nights, way back in '1987 I would get dry mouth by 5AM and throw up by 6 until I got used to it. I still hate nights and always gain wt. Tired no matter how much sleep I get.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Sleeping enough is vital, but I think attitude is also very important.

I worked Nights for several years and grew to love the relative peace, compared to Days or 3-11.

A totally black bedroom - cardboard and heavy drapes on windows, taped towels above and around the drapes to block

out ALL sun, turned the phone completely off, plus Benadryl or a sleeper Rx, an enforced bedtime, barely seeing my family

on work nights, all errands & appointments scheduled for morning as early as possible, staying up all night on my nights

off - allowed me to survive. Sometimes I had to stop and take a brief nap during my drive home.

Shortly before quitting Nights, though, I would find myself waking up at work - without having had any intention of falling

asleep. I don't know why this happened, but it was scary and I figured I'd better switch shifts. Fortunately, I was able to

do that.

I don't know how to predict if you will do well. But maybe you could put yourself on a Night schedule before you accept a

job on this shift and see how it goes. Best wishes to you.