6 months on night, my beauty suffers

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Sep 27, 2008

I have the same exact problem. It's been over a year on nights for me and I look like who did and what for :no:

The worst part is those racoon eyes, I cannot rid of. Sigh!

bethin · Sep 27, 2008

I don't break ever break out (please don't hate) but I have noticed the dark circles and my skin is extremely dry. I even resorted going to SAKS and buying outrageously expensive lotion to no avail. I drink about 6 bottles of water a day and no improvement.

I bought Clinique eye cream, can't remember the name, maybe All About Eyes? It helps.

interleukin · Sep 27, 2008

Folks, most humans were not meant to pervert their hard-wired biological rhythms. You are seeing the results.

Granted, some love nights and feel great. But many suffer the consequences. Studies conclude that doing so shortens your life.

At least hospitals could pay a whopping premium for nurses to do such duty...I mean like a 40% differential.

But until nurses demand it, administration get the bargain of the century while too many nurses' bodies suffer the fallout.

I want to see the CEO do a month of night shifts.

Halinja, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2008

This may sound really strange...but I found several references, including on the mayo clinic website (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dark-circles-under-eyes/AN00423) to the fact that dark circles under the eyes can be caused by eczema. According to the mayo clinic, fatigue is seldom the reason for dark circles. It most often is from nasal congestion.

Are you being exposed to a substance that is new to you that might be causing an allergic reaction? Has eczema ever run in your family?

Just food for thought.....

pinksugar · Sep 27, 2008

When I was on nights my acne was so bad that I ended up getting 2 topical dermatologist-prescribed creams AND antibiotics for 6 months. Those medicines did work. I did go back on days, though, and I stopped the antibiotics (don't need them). I still use the topicals.

You couldn't pay me time and a half to work nights again. I might pull a night shift once in a blue moon to help out my coworkers, but I will never do straight nights again. I felt myself dying while I was doing them - tachycardia and palpitations, constant migraines and nausea, weight gain. Three months on days and I am still bouncing back from a year of nights.

stalsrn · Sep 27, 2008

I too suffered acne, weight gain and those lovely raccoon eyes. I still work nights and really love it and have found that exercise is the key for me. Since I started going to the gym for 30 minutes every other day, even on work days, I have noticed a huge difference. I feel better on my days off and I have lots more energy.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Sep 27, 2008

I'm a night shifter and all this sounds so weird to me! I don't have any more skin problems or dark circles than I ever did on days, or than anyone else on days, either. Come to think of it, NO ONE on my current night shift has skin problems that I can think of (at least, none that anyone would notice). I have no idea why anyone would make the connection of bad skin to working nights, unless by doing so you are also drinking less water, eating a poor diet, and increasing your stress levels somehow. And that can happen on any shift, so I'd suggest you take a look at what else is going on in your life, not just whether your work day is during the day or during the night.

ladylikeRN · Sep 27, 2008

You know, I agree that working midnights does take a toll on the body as a whole. I worked midnights during the time that I was a student nurse associate to try it out the shift because I am a night owl (staying up till 3 am) and worked contingent. However, I did a month of midnights 11pm to 7 am and will never do it again. I got very sick, vomiting and diarrhea from a patient because my immune system went down. I have never been sick while caring for patients, even till this day, my immune is high, despite the type of patients that I care for. On the other hand, my sleep cycle was off and I never felt rested on midnights. On the days that I was off, I slept in, then upon going back to work I felt did not feel rested and I broke out more and had bags under my eyes. I did that for 4 weeks and will never do midnights again.

I now work afternoons as this is the best shift for me. I no longer have bags, and people always assume that I am much younger than my age of 27.

Nurse Salt · Sep 27, 2008

Bethin, I was going to suggest Clinique All About Eyes! I have used it off and on for years especially when I feel I need "brightening" in the eye area, it works wonders!!!

RnsRwe, I agree with you whole heartedly. While I understand nights are not for everyone, I believe too many people begin to blame changing health on NOC. In my opinion, it is more likely a combo of life changes/sacrafices (ie. quality sleep and diet/exercise) that contribute to declining health... But this is just my biased opinion, I love nights!

Kaeky, one thing worth thinking about is the QUALITY of sleep you are getting. While you may be getting the same amount of hours on nights as days, if it is broken up or not deep, its probably not restful. I suggest getting black out curtains/an eye mask and ear plugs. Also my room gets HOT so I keep a fan on when I'm sleeping. Good luck to you... Give nights a chance!

loricatus · Sep 27, 2008

Have you tried melatonin? If you come home when it is light out & do not sleep in a totally dark room, your body will not make enough melatonin to provide the restorative sleep you need.

If you aren't having any other effects from doing the night shift, this may be all that you need to get the same type of rest you would get at night (and, maybe a pair of very dark sunglasses to wear when you go home in the morning)