Published Sep 30, 2011
aikz
59 Posts
I'm a new grad and will start working on night shift 7P-7A Full time on a general med-surg floor that specializes in neuro. Anyone have any tips on how to get used to the weird sleeping hours? What do you guys do to stay awake during the shift? What is the shift routine like for you guys?
beast master RN
129 Posts
cocaine sandwiches?? ......
nurse2033, MSN, RN
3 Articles; 2,133 Posts
I've answered this question in multiple other threads, try a search and you will get a lot of info. Biggest tip, blackout curtains, really, I really mean it, it changed my life (and earplugs).
hudsont2207
6 Posts
I use to work nights (did so for 4 years), however, not at a hospital. But I really do recommend blackout curtains, or at least a blindfold until you can get them. I agree, ear plugs are a must as well! I always used my phone as an alarm so I put it on vibrate as well so if I couldn't hear it I would at least feel it. Try and get yourself in a routine, try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time. Hope this helps!
jesskidding, LPN
361 Posts
It took me about 3 months to get into the night shift routine and feel good. It was hard those first three months, but now I can't see myself working days anymore. Night nurses and the environment is so different from the day shift. The night shift fits my personality much better.
I use blackout curtain and keep a fan running for noise. I also set the alarm on my phone. My phone has a setting to just use the alarm and all calls are silenced. I have found I am more of a night owl now that I am working nights, even on my days off.
Also, taking a shower and having a few minutes to wind down when you get home help too. I usually don't sleep much at all the day of my first night shift. I just sleep the next day when I get home. That gives me more time with my family since I work weekends and my husband and children are not at work or school.
I did hear that you might gain weight when working nights, but the opposite has been true for me. I have lost about 15 lbs! YAY!
Hope you like it and you will eventually get used to it. Just take care of yourself!
tachybradyRN
369 Posts
at my mom's house where i used to live, i had blackout curtains and slept in the basement bedroom, where it was always cool and quiet. never had trouble sleeping. now, i live in a very sunny apartment with my very annoying cat. i have two fans for background noise (one is a tower fan at the foot of my bed, and one is a smaller fan i actually sleep with next to my head). the latest development (i've been living in this apt for two months now, and not sleeping well at all) is the sleep mask i bought the other day at bed bath and beyond. my landlord doesn't want me taking down the blinds/putting up blackout curtains at this apt and since in like 6-8 months my boyfriend and i are getting another place (together! woohoo!), i am not going to invest the energy into it. hopefully the sleep mask should help. i also occasionally take melatonin if i need it in the morning as soon as i get home.. makes me fairly sleepy within an hour as long as i don't use it multiple days in a row.
you'll manage, it's tough to get used to but i vastly prefer nights over the flow of days. plus, i'm a little less social than the day shift nurses and i can keep to myself a bit more on nights. it's worth the sacrifice.
Carefreeliving
43 Posts
Let's see.... here's what I do on night shift. I bought blackout curtains from IKEA for $20 and ear plugs from wal-mart for $4. That about sums it up. I also live in an apartment that is filled with school age children who like to run around and scream -_- You will find a routine that works for you.
CCFCP
12 Posts
I also blacked out the windows in my bedroom and earplugs were a must.. you dont realize how many children and dogs are on your block till youre trying to sleep all day. I also make sure to stop drinking anything with caffeine about 3 hours before the end of shift so that its not keeping me awake when I get home. I ended up retaining the same sleep schedule even on my days off which helped tons! Its very hard to switch back and forth from days to nights on a weekly basis. Melatonin before bed helped me for a little while but ultimately I ended up getting a script for ambien which I dont recommend.. that should be a last resort. Oh and before you spend money on new curtains, try a sleep mask if you can tolerate having something on your face while you sleep. I did that for a while and it worked as well.
Circejane
136 Posts
I personally can't stand a sleep mask or earplugs, and struggled for the first month or two on nights. Our house has a finished basement, and we set up another bedroom down there (we had the extra bed already). Since then, I sleep MUCH better. It's so much quieter and darker. Blackout curtains upstairs do help, but I would still hear the doorbell, neighbors with their snowmobiles, etc.
Like someone else mentioned, I stick to the night schedule even on my nights off. Trying to switch back and forth, I have found, just doesn't work, and you end up perpetually tired.
In summer I used a fan for white noise, which helped a lot. Now I use a White Noise app for my iPod, which is hooked up to a little portable speaker/player thingy that I've had forever. I usually have it set on Thunderstorm, but you can program all kinds of different noises. It helps tremendously.
I also use the Sunrise Alarm Clock from BioBrite:
http://www.biobrite.com/products.php?category_id=1&PHPSESSID=94e3113236be75671dab2aef7d934d1a
I'm on my third one in twelve years--two were broken in moves, unfortunately. Otherwise they last forever, and it makes falling asleep and waking up SO much easier. I first started using it when I had to get up before dawn for work, many years ago. Now it makes the night schedule much more organic.
One last tip: Make your bed super-comfy, and your bedroom into a sanctuary. Helps a lot. My BF liked the basement bedroom so much, he started sleeping there at night! :)
Thanks guys for the replies. I appreciate it!
What's a typical 7p-7a shift like for you guys? When is the busiest time? And what hours is usually the slowest?
cbcle
93 Posts
I love sleeping during the day on a rainy day. Bliss!
Music in My Heart
1 Article; 4,111 Posts
My approach is:
1) Foil over the windows... the body is simply hardwired to wake up to light
2) 34 dB ear plugs... the highest attenuation I can find on the commercial market.
3) Ambien and Provigil, each of which I use very sparingly, but as needed to ensure I get the sleep I need and can stay awake if I'm very weary. I hardly ever take the Provigil and the Ambien is half-dose fewer than 25% of days.
4) In my case, I flip days-to-nights-to-days in order to maximize time with the family (that is, I live in the day and work in the night... but only one of the two in a 24-hr period). My first night generally closes out 24 hours awake. My last night ends with about 6 hours of day sleep and then another 8-10 of night sleep which brings me back to a day schedule.
You just find what works for you.