I have been a nightshift nurse for about 2 years now. I easily adjusted to nights within my first week of switching and have never felt fatigued on nights. For my first year I had the best of both worlds. I was awake during nights and enjoyed my days off.
For the past 6 months or so I have been so drained on my off days though.
I work my three 12's in a row and feel great during my work portion of the week and usually sleep 6-8hrs in between shifts. On my days off though it doesn't matter how much sleep I get (I'm talking anywhere from 7-14! hours) I feel beat down. I cannot wake up during daytime hours to do chores or to do anything. I only feel my energy pick up around 10pm and by then it's dark, stores are closed, my husband is in bed and everything useful I wanted to get done is pushed off.
I guess more than anything I'm not looking for the advice to switch to days (it would be a 6 dollar pay cut and I love my shift and I'm a charge nurse so there isn't necessarily a day position as charge) or the advice to see a doctor (which I have).
I am just wanting to know does anyone else have a similar issue?