night shift nurse

sharpeimom · Feb 27, 2015

That was my shift. I would go home, shower, throw in a wash load, make me tea and my husband coffee, then crawl into bed just as he was getting up.b I'd turn the tv on and usually Zink

right out and finish the tea when I woke up.

I worked theme shifts per week and only took a short nap so I'd be sleepy somewhere near bedtime.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Feb 27, 2015

The first few weeks or month will be rough as your body gets adjusted to the night shift schedule. I will wind down for about 15-30 minutes prior to bed and sleep my 8 hours. My bedroom is dark. I bought cling-on window tinting used for cars on the bedroom windows. It peels off when you move to a day shift position or move. I might look into another product called "Indow" Indow | Blackout Windows for sound sleep |

Once you start working night shift. you need to commit to it. I tried to switch over to normal sleep schedule for my days off but it never works, I am not tired until early morning. I will stay up until 2-4 am on my days off instead of 7-8 am after a night shift. Try to make it home before the sun comes up or wear sunglasses home until you go to bed and don't watch TV or turn on bright lights when you get home, the bright light tricks your brain into thinking it is morning and time to wake up. You need to trick your brain into thinking it is night time and time to sleep.

Coley1218 · Feb 28, 2015

That was my shift. I would go home, shower, throw in a wash load, make me tea and my husband coffee, then crawl into bed just as he was getting up.b I'd turn the tv on and usually Zink
right out and finish the tea when I woke up.
I worked theme shifts per week and only took a short nap so I'd be sleepy somewhere near bedtime.

What kind of tea would u drink??

Coley1218 · Feb 28, 2015

Thank u! I'm definitely gonna try it. I will let y'all know how my first few nights go.

caseyuptonurse · Feb 28, 2015

I think everyones method is a little bit different. I started nights 3 months ago and had no problems transitioning, but that's not the case for everybody. I have my blinds shut in my room. Some people prefer white noise while they sleep but I don't have any noise in my room. Luckily everyone in my house works during the hours I'm sleeping so I have no interruptions. On my first night back to work I will sleep in the morning and get up around 9am and then go back to sleep from 2pm to 5:30pm. Then the next two nights I work I will sleep the whole day and get my 8 hours. Then after I'm done work on the third day I go to sleep and wake up around noon and then I switch back to a day time schedule. It is recommended to stay on one sleep schedule but I like to spend my days off with my family and friends that live on a day time schedule. Ha.

nursing-ontario · Mar 1, 2015

Hello Coley,
As a night nurse I remember my first few night shifts.
the first few days you will probably not get more than 5 hrs to sleep during the day to recover yourself. but later on, your on body will find time to relax and sleep many hours straight.
It may sound easy to say but, still I suggest to create patterns like what is the best time to take a shower, to go to BR, to have a cup of tea, read a book or even talk to your family.In this way you will organize your time an life.
Take Care