My Nocturnal Lifestyle

Published

Specializes in Geriatrics/Alzheimer's.

I have finally adjusted to sleeping during the day, maybe too well. Anyway, I live in Oregon, so when I get off work, I usually walk home with clouds over head. No sun. If there is sun, I sleep through the sunny day. I come home, have some decaf coffee or tea, eat breakfast. Lately it is French toast. Take a Melatonin. Go online to allnurses.com. Get drowsy and go to bed., at 8:00. My husband and I talk for awhile and then I fall asleep. I usually sleep until 4:30 or 5:00. Guess what it is dark outside at 5:00.

I feel like a mole. I sleep in a completely dark room, with the air freshener on, so I can't hear outside noises. I enter the livingroom, where life has went on without me. I blink and blink, like a mole, from the lights on in the livingroom.

Now, I can't sleep at night when it is my day off. I love my job, so this really helps despite the mole like existence I am in. When it is my day off I can't figure out what to do with my extra time, while my family sleeps. I don't want to make any noise to wake them up. So, I sit and read or watch TV. I hope to figure this part of my life out so I don't feel so alone. Hopefully, I will get the basement to myself so I can work on my crafts or something, but that will take time to be accomplished, we are working on the house right now.

I am thinking about taking some online classes, so I can become an RN, right now I'm a LPN. How do you guys do it? How can this lifestyle become enjoyable, instead of weird? I have only been on the nightshift since July 2003, so this is so new to me. But I do love working the nightshift. Big change from a few months ago.;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

Your description sounds exactly like me!!! (except I don't walk home...) I even live in Oregon! I too had this problem. I seemed to have resolved it by taking a tylenol pm my first one or two nights sleeping nights again. I found that if I don't sleep that first night, it turns into a cycle...but if I sleep, I get back onto the right schedule.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

because I could not get to sleep til about 4 am. Seems now if I work more than 24 hrs a week at night my body will no longer readjust.

Oh well...lots of my coworkers have just given up trying to sleep 'normal' too. But it is lonely prowling the house while family is asleep. :o

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Try staying up the last day of your nights as late as you possibly can....stay busy, then go to bed about 6p -7p....

Or, take some classes! That's what I am having to do since I want to get into BSN school this fall...Have to work nights. Hate it, but have been doing it for quite a while now!

Good Luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in insanity control.

you might try this.

when you go home on your first day off, have a cup of real coffee, take a 2 hour nap and then get up and enjoy the day. you should be tired by 10 oclock. the trade off is that you may not be able to sleep your first day of work. you may go to work tired.

oooooorrrrrrrr,

find a night life. i read the books i can't during the week. i also pin and cut out patterns at this time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is going to sound like a dumb question, but I'm just wondering... if you work nights and stay on that schedule even on days off and if you have kids, when do you ever find time to see them?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

when mine were little my work schedule pretty much revolved around them and my family's needs. Now they are grown so I can sleep when I need to...guess that's good.

I've worked nights for most of my career, it just seems as I age my body sends me different signals. Something else for ya'll to look forward to...LOL!! :roll

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work nights - 12 hr. shifts - but I only have to work 3 days/wk to be full time. My schedule for the first week is 4 days on and five days off, and for the second week, it's two days on, three days off. On the days I'm working, I don't really get enough sleep and usually get up around noon. On my off days, I revert to sleeping at night, and maybe go to bed early on the first night off and sleep maybe 12 hours. So, I have never really become a complete "night" person and have the best of both worlds. So far, this has worked for me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics/Alzheimer's.

My 2 older sons are grown and on their own, my youngest son is 17 and will graduate in 2004, so they don't mind my "night life". I don't mind staying awake at night while everyone is sleeping, but I'm just trying to figure out how to make it more enjoyable, more productive.

Often, I do go to sleep by 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., on my nights off, so I sleep until 12:00 p.m., that way I get to have my afternoon and evening with my family. I work from 10:30 p.m. until 7:00 a.m., 4 on 2 off. I love my shift and my job. I have fantastic CNA's which I work with. So, I feel very fortunate.

Since I live in Oregon, I'm trying to figure out a way to prevent SAD, I have ordered a SAD light. I do get some day time on my days off with my family, now I need to figure out a way to make my night life a positive part of my life, not a negative one.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.

Hi

I have worked nites 27 yrs. I would never work days again.

I love the nite shift.

I have worked it in various ways. Currently here is what I do--

I get off at 0730. I get home about 0815. My husband is retired so he picks me up. I sometimes have breakfast, sometimes not.

I stay up until 2 or 3 PM. and then go to bed. I play in the computer,do housework, shop or watch tapes of the evening TV shows my husband tapes for me. Then I sleep until 9:30 PM and my "day" starts all over.

For about 9 yrs. prior to last March, I would do per diem home care when I got off from the hospital at 0730. But, I am getting a bit too old for that now, so I just have the one job.

At various times, I have done it different ways; but right now this seems to work for me.

On the night off----well, if I am going to be off Thursday nite---I get home Thurs. am and then stay up until my "normal" bedtime of an off day---about 11PM or midnight.

That way, I sleep quite well. If I am off 2 days in a row, that is really great & the 2nd nite is just usual.

Hope this helps a bit.

I really love nites, tho.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I've worked nights for about 10 years now. And...as you can see I'm posting at 2am! I work 3 12 hour shifts - leave the house at 6 pm and get home at 8am. I climb into bed, read for 15 minutes and I'm out and sleep untill 2:30 or 3. On my days off, I sleep for 4-5 hours in the morning, getup and then go to bed at 11 pm with my husband. My kids are grown and living on their own, but this has worked for me. BTW - I also am doing an accelerated MSN online right now too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion