Night shift survival!!!

sharpeimom · Sep 16, 2014

I worked virtually all night schedule. I either worked 11-7 or later on 7 pm to 7 am three days per week. On 7-7s, I worked a set schedule. I worked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. The Friday night counted as fulfilling my weekend obligation since I worked every Friday night. 3 12s gives you four free days, which is great!

I went to bed at the usual time (around 11:30 or so,) on Tuesday night got up when my husband did and went about my morning. I'd meet him for lunch somewhere downtown, then run any errands I needed to run, then went home. I'd load or unload the dishwasher, stick a load in the washer, walk the dog, then nap until about 4:30 or 5:00, depending on he weather. I worked 35 miles from my job.

It could take 20 minutes in good weather or more than an hour in the winter. The road was heavily traveled by huge logging trucks and sometimes that added time. A loaded log truck's top cruising speed is no more than 10 mph, so that cold slow me down. I just assumed it would take an hour and since weren't allowed to clock in more than five minutes early, I always carried a book.

On Thursday and Friday mornings, I'd run any errands I had to do, take the dog out, and shower. I'd make myself a cup of cocoa or tea and some toast or hot cereal, then stretch out and listen to music or watch TV. I'd never finish my drink -- not once! I'd sleep unti

4:00 pm, when the alarm and the dog woke me up. I'd pack my lunch, and get dressed. I'd visit with my husband when he came home, play with the cats and dog, then we'd eat gauchely early and I'd take off. We either have soup and sandwiches, salads, or something from the freezer that I'd frozen earlier. We also used our crockpot a lot.

Lunches for work were munchies. A typical meal would be a baggie of Cheerios, another bag of cutup fruit, a hard boiled egg, and two or three bite-sized candy bars. I made tea or drank a can of SlimFast, plus lots of water or Crystal Light to avoid dehydration.

I always had a time when I felt really sleepy and blech around 4 am but it lifted by 4:40 am or so. I always kept something like a bag of something like cheese cubes to nibble on the way home.

You'll be fine!

THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN · Sep 16, 2014

I have been doing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights for two years now. I usually sleep from 9 to 5 and I will eat a small meal like a banana or a protein shake with coffee before work. I take snacks and then one big thing like a chicken salad or sandwich to eat with water. I do fine with this.

anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP · Sep 16, 2014

I am not a good napper so I just had a normal schedule...just reversed am to pm. It was MUCH nicer when my 3 nights were in a row. Then on my days off I could see some sunlight at least.

During the winter it was really sad because I almost NEVER saw sunshine. I recently discovered there is something called a "light box" for people with SAD but it could help with night shifters I'm sure too! Our body likes sunshine....it makes me happy. Wish I had known about the box though I'm not sure if it works.

Anyway I also kept plenty of snacks in my locker. Take food because in the middle of the night your lunch choices are minimal. I have never really liked coffee so I'd go stock up on cokes before the cafeteria closed for the night.

I enjoyed night shift except for the night part! You still have plenty of busy shifts but you mostly get more time to learn and ask questions.

Also melatonin has always been my friend.

sharpeimom · Sep 16, 2014

I usually packed a fairly light lunch on night shift because I felt better that way. Sometimes, I took cream cheese-stuffed celery, or ants on a log, a parfait of yogurt and granola, cut up fruit and veggies, a fruit muffin (like blueberry) or bites of various cheeses with a variety of crackers, a cup of yogurt and some graham crackers to dip in it, green and ripe olives, a protein drink called Click which is high protein, etc.

To paraphrase my mom about when I was a toddler, "If I had tried to balance your diet daily, I'd have gone crazy, so I balanced it by the week instead." That was how I did it on the other four days. We ate good nourishing well balanced meals 3x a day and on the other two, we had at least two good meals. It can still work out and be unconventional.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Sep 16, 2014

I would suggest the OP take advantage of the search function. There are jillions of threads on this exact topic- and many, many more useful suggestions gathered over the years.

37 years on nights and still alive!