Night shifters - are you noctural all the time?

Nurses General Nursing

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Due to factors beyond my control, I've been scheduled 1 on, 1 off, 1 on one off, 2 on, 1 off, etc. from now at least until the end of March. I have no problem going to bed @ 0800 when I get off of work but I have trouble sleeping all day and staying up all night on my days off. I know it would be ideal to clump my schedule all together, but do any of you do what I'm doing right now and can offer advice?

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

I work 3 12 hr nights. On my days off I try and go back to a normal schedule, its just what works for me. I swear night shift has given me narcolepsy. Lol. Im more sleepy now than Ive ever been, and can usually go back to bed @ night after waking up just that afternoon.

Like today, I woke up around 1400, after sleeping @ 0800. Ill most likely fall back asleep @ midnight. Ill wake up tomorrow morning and go to work that night with no nap and sleep again Friday @ 0800....Yeah. I dont know how much longer Ill be on nights, but this cant be healthy. Lol.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Ive worked night for about 3 years now. Ive always been a night owl so working nights is my preference.

On my days off Im usually up until 0300-0400 on my days off and sleep till about noon.

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

I tell my scheduling coordinator that I cannot work 1 night on/1 night off. My husband is a day shifter and it totally screws up my sleeping pattern to work that way. I generally have every weekend off due to the weekend program RN's so I only have Monday through Fridays to work...usually my shifts are 4 in a row--two 12's and two 8's.

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
this is purely second hand knowledge, but Ive heard that disrupted sleeping schedules and sleep deficits can cause rapid cycling and exacerbation of bipolar disorder

That's the last thing I need. :D

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
I work 3 12 hr nights. On my days off I try and go back to a normal schedule, its just what works for me. I swear night shift has given me narcolepsy. Lol. Im more sleepy now than Ive ever been, and can usually go back to bed @ night after waking up just that afternoon.

Like today, I woke up around 1400, after sleeping @ 0800. Ill most likely fall back asleep @ midnight. Ill wake up tomorrow morning and go to work that night with no nap and sleep again Friday @ 0800....Yeah. I dont know how much longer Ill be on nights, but this cant be healthy. Lol.

That's the problem I've been bumping into! I *CAN* stay up all night if I'm not at work, but it's much easier for me to cuddle up and go to bed between 12MN and 2AM.

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Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
I tell my scheduling coordinator that I cannot work 1 night on/1 night off. My husband is a day shifter and it totally screws up my sleeping pattern to work that way. I generally have every weekend off due to the weekend program RN's so I only have Monday through Fridays to work...usually my shifts are 4 in a row--two 12's and two 8's.

Sounds like you have a pretty nice schedule. Lucky duck!

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Specializes in Sedation.

Back in the "good ole days" (early 90's) I was working 1900-0700 about 4 or 5 times a week in an ER.

If it slowed down around 0300 or 0400 we could take turns hopping on a stretcher, pull the curtain and get a nap.

Management was cool with it as long as we were all in the department and someone was monitoring the radio.

My most recent night shift job when it slows down, you just sit around and comment on how tired everyone else looks.

Best,

Randy

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

I used to tell people to stay on the night shift schedule on off days, and I used to do that myself too. But lately I have not been able to. I work five 8hr days, all nights. On my off days, no matter what I do, my body just goes back to sleeping at night.

I think a lot of it has to do with the temp. of the apt. I sleep better when it is cool, so naturally I sleep better at night. I get home in the morning, it starts to warm up and my sleep is disturbed. Then it cools down and all I want to do it sleep.........but I only have a few hours before work time.

If the economy ever really improves, I am getting away from nights.

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So any suggestions for someone working a day/ night rotation? Someone being me. I will be working 3 nights one week then 3 days the next, so on and so on. Any suggestions will be extremely appreciated.

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.
So any suggestions for someone working a day/ night rotation? Someone being me. I will be working 3 nights one week then 3 days the next, so on and so on. Any suggestions will be extremely appreciated.

ouch! ambien to sleep and ritalin to wake? ;) just kidding of course

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