New Nurse can't sleep...

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 14, 2005

I used to work in retail graveyard shift and experienced the same thing for months. I basically trained my body to get used to it. You have to make sure that when you do sleep you have an alarm clock so that your body can get used to the new schedule. I also avoided eating carbs a few hours before going to bed, and the caffeinated drinks as well. I have also tried the drinking a glass of milk with a little bit of ginger and believe it or not it worked. (Don't know why though). Also, picking up a book to read before bed usually helped. My body became accustomed to the new schedule. Make sure that the days you are off you don't over sleep too. Try to get to bed and wake up at the same time.

This is my experience of course, so it may work for you as it may not. Give it a try hopefully it will work. Best of luck to you. :)

MIA-RN1, RN · Jul 14, 2005

I've been working for about 6 months now and I found that whenever I have to work I can't sleep... If i'm off I have no trouble sleeping, but when I know that I'm working the next day I can't sleep. After self analyzing myself I realized that I'm keeping myself up by worrying about falling asleep... Yes, I know my problem but I don't know how to solve it. I've taken nyquil, benadryl, calms forte, and other otc sleep aids but they don't work on me. I've used relaxation techniques. I'm 21 years old and I've never had this problem. I worry about how this will affect me down the road. I need to work, but I don't want to go to work with no sleep because I know that if I was a patient I'd want a nurse who had rest. Does anyone know of a job that offers an 11am to 11pm shift? I'm willing to relocate just about anywhere (in the US) just for this... I'm getting desperate. Thanks for your time everyone... Any input is greatly appreciated. Sorry for any wrong spellings or wrong grammer... I didn't sleep much last night...

I am prone to insomnia such as yours,. I read an article about sleep-training yourself. Basically, you stay up until you can't stay up any later. So if you go to bed at say 10, and you are not sleeping. Get up and out of your bedroom and don't go back until you are yawning and tired. The lady in the article said she had a couple of sleepless nights but then it worked because she had lost the association of bedtime = anxiety.

I did it. I stayed up til almost 2 am when I had to be at work at 7 the next day and yes I was tired but the next night, I was beat and fell asleep much easier.

Also, don't let yourself nap in the afternoon even if you got no sleep the night before. That helps for me. And then I only let myself go to bed an hour or half hour early too. I guess for me I get into a sleep-deprived state and then its easier to sleep.

One of my tricks is to start counting back from 100, with a breath on each number and then when you get to 90, a deep cleansing breath. Then again til 80, with another deep breath. If you mess up, you have to start all over again. I never made it past the 30's before falling asleep. Also, turn your clock around so you can't see it, and remind yourself that who cares if you sleep or not. You've done it before, no big deal going with a little sleep. People do it all the time. That kind of talk helps me relax but I do empathize with you. It is THE WORST when trying to sleep and instead getting bolts of adrenaline and anxiety about it.

I have heard that valerian root is good and they make Celestial Seasonings SleepyTime tea w/ valerian in it. One of the NP's I work with swears by it so you might try that. Lavender promotes relaxation too if you can find a scented pillow or some lavender scented lotion. Getting a strict bedtime routine helps too. I had a whole little routine of lotion and tea and reading going on when it got really bad and I got it back into control.

Good luck. This too shall pass.

amyrae76 · Jul 15, 2005

Hi there!

Have you looked around at other hospitals in your area to see what shifts they offer? I know of at least one hospital in my area that offers shifts at kind of odd hours. One girl I know works in a pediatric emergency department from 3pm-3am, and her sister works on a labor & delivery floor from 11a-11p, the same shift you mentioned. This is in Omaha, NE, and we have quite a few hospitals here, so if you're in a large enough town with several hospitals to choose from, there might be other options for you. Take a look around. Maybe your body is telling you that this shift is not for you.

Good luck!

rn/writer, RN · Jul 15, 2005

I have good luck with melatonin. It doesn't have the "hangover" of prescription meds and it's something your body produces anyway. This is one of the few things that has actually worked for me.

Also, turkey contains tryptophan and is a good part of the reason why post-Thanksgiving living rooms are strewn with snoring bodies.

I read that milk can make you sleepy, too.

So have a turkey sandwich, followed by melatonin with a milk chaser.

Sweet dreams,

Miranda

P.S. I have a very hard time sleeping without white noise to cover all those annoying little noises that keep grabbing your attention. I sleep with a TV on low. Others use a fan or an actual noise generator that sounds like rain or an ocean or ??? I have a CD of thunderstorms (which I love). Haven't tried that one yet but I've always thought that would be lovely.

kwagner_51 · Jul 15, 2005

Sleepy Time tea and my all time favorite TENSION TAMER tea! I drank both of these and had tea parties with my kids so they would go to sleep too.

I gave them the sleepytime and I used the tension tamer. It works!! You can buy them at WalMart in the coffee aisle.

I am in orientation now and working days. When I go on my unit, I will be working nights 11-7.

Good luck and God Bless!

_______________________________________________

In His Grace,

Karen GN

Failure is NOT an option!!

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 15, 2005

Some of these remedies sound safer than mine: 2 benadryl, with a brandy chaser. Even that doesn't always work. I am finding that skipping the benadryl doesn't seem to make a difference, and putting the brandy in a hot cup of decaf coffee seems to help. (Any hot beverage helps relax you.)

I'm rotating shifts during orientation, but I'll be strictly 1900-0700 once I'm out. So far, I sleep like a baby when I'm on nights. Once I get home, I mean. And one of those good babies who sleeps a lot--not the ones who wake up crying every two hours. I'm a guy. Sometimes I scream and curse, but I don't cry. Much. God, I hate day shift!

P.S. I have read that consuming alcohol at bedtime is a bad idea, but I don't exactly recall why. I'm a prone sleeper, so my aspiration risk is low, and one ounce of brandy doesn't get me drunk. Beer makes me sleepy, too.

I've dozed off drinking even non-alcoholic beer. Maybe I'll try that, next time.

LearningRN · Jul 15, 2005

Thanks so much for all the great replies! I've read that some of you had an 11a to 11p shift. What city offers that because I've looked here in my city and they don't offer an 11a to 11p. I really do need to find another job before I get fired for constantly calling in. Plus I don't want to be calling in. I hate to let my co workers down. So if anyone knows of any city or hospital that offers an 11a to 11p please let me know (any department will work.) Thanks again everyone!

kwagner_51 · Jul 15, 2005

Vincennes Indiana Good Samaritan Hospital hires 11a-11p.

Here is their website. Let me know if you apply, because I get a $500.00 bonus if they hire you!

http://www.gshvin.org/goodsamaritan/home.asp

Are you an RN?

Good luck!

__________________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

amyrae76 · Jul 16, 2005

Where do you live now? I'm one of the people who told you about the 11a-11p shift. I live in Omaha, NE. I work at Methodist Hospital, and I know a nurse on the labor and delivery floor who works 11a-11p. I don't know what other floors offer that shift. Like the previous person said, let me know if you're interested because I'll get a referral bonus.

I just did a search on Yahoo for "11am-11pm nursing shift" and it came up with several hospitals with job ads. That might be another way to find a hospital that offers that shift.

Good luck!

amy :)

TypicalFish · Jul 17, 2005

Sleepy Time tea and my all time favorite TENSION TAMER tea! I drank both of these and had tea parties with my kids so they would go to sleep too.
I gave them the sleepytime and I used the tension tamer. It works!! You can buy them at WalMart in the coffee aisle.
I am in orientation now and working days. When I go on my unit, I will be working nights 11-7.
Good luck and God Bless!
_______________________________________________
In His Grace,
Karen GN
Failure is NOT an option!!

I love tension tamer-It really makes a difference to me. It is very hard for me to fall asleep in general, and this helps a great deal. I buy mine at Giant.