Nightshifts..how to prepare for them?

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2014

Oh I could never sleep at work. I'd wake up ****** and miserable.

I am a lifer night shifter. :) I work all my days together if possible (it's easier to make the switch back to being a day walker that way)... and the first day I simply sleep in. I have a really lax day leading up to work, maybe catch a cat nap but usually I can't. I sleep late as I can, and then have no falling passing out when I get back from work the next morning.

Good luck. There are tons of posts about nightshifts!

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2014

When I worked 12 hour night shifts, I honestly did little but eat and sleep.

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Oct 31, 2014

Sunday night stay up as late as possible. Drink some coffee around 9pm, do something to keep yourself awake, until about 4-5am then sleep in as late as possible. If you wake up before noon, you have to take a nap before going in.

If I wake up before 2pm and I can't get back to sleep, I need a rockstar right before my shift starts and then another one again at 2am to get me through.

sugar12 · Oct 31, 2014

I'm new to night shift still trying to figure it out. But usually I try to stay up until 1 or 2 am each day even when I'm off. If I get tired at work I simply check on my patient and everyone's patient and walk the entire floor. There is usually something to be done. I'm

good at finding it. I'm not a coffee drinker or every drinker so I just try to stay active

Nepenthe Sea · Nov 1, 2014

I love nights and plan to never work days. I don't live on a night schedule at home, though, because it would be too hard with my young children. So I keep a regular schedule like most people when I am off, then the night before I go back to work, I stay up a little later (until around 1-3). Then I go to sleep. If I have my kids and have to feed them or take them to school, then I get up to do that (but don't drink coffee or get fully dressed or anything), and then go back to bed until 12 or 1. I usually get a good amount of sleep, and wake up, drink my coffee, and take my time getting ready for work. I pretty much have to be up by 2:45 at the latest on any given work day because I pick my kids up from school at 3, so you could adjust your schedule accordingly. I always feel pretty good that first night, at least. If you don't have to get up for kids or anything, then it would be even better. I don't generally get tired at night but if I do, I go in the bathroom and do some jumping jacks or squats to get the blood pumping again.

firstinfamily, RN · Nov 2, 2014

When I worked 11-7 on my first night I would get up normally in the morning, do my household duties, usually had an early dinner and went to bed around 6:00 pm, got up at 10:00 to be at work by 11:00. When we did 12 hour shifts, I could no longer get that evening nap, so had to adjust my sleep schedule and would take a nap during the day time. I tried to have a routine schedule with my working shifts. When I was off I would stay up late or stay up all night and still sleep during the day to keep some normal sleep routine. Working night shift is hard on one's body, you should try to boost your immune system by taking some vitamin supplements and try to not over-schedule your time off with other things. For your social life, you may have to meet other people who work night shift. My husband was an airplane mechanic when I met him, we both worked nights!!! Have been married for 30 years, so it is possible to meet others, just in a different way. I would use room darkening shades, eye masks, ear plugs to de-sensitize myself to the outside world so that I could sleep better. If I were you, I would try to stay up as late as I could on Sunday eve. Then take a nap early to mid afternoon on Monday so you have some rest to get you through the night. When you get off work, eat breakfast and go to bed almost as soon as you get home. It will be difficult at first, but eventually you will establish a routine, and the more of a routine you have the better your sleep will be. Some people run a fan during their sleep to simulate "white noise" which seems to help them drift off to sleep. Good LUck!!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Nov 4, 2014

There are tons of threads about surviving and thriving on the night shift and/or on rotating shifts. Happy reading!

Farawyn · Nov 5, 2014

I worked nights for almost 4 years. Metallica and caffeine got me through.

AntelopeTongue, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2014

When I worked 12 hour night shifts, I honestly did little but eat and sleep.

This is the sad truth for me as well. That is about as much structure as I can implement into my night shift "routine". To the OP, go easy on yourself. Structure the basics first (eating and sleeping) and then go from there. If you can't add in much more, it's okay. You're not alone! I envy every nurse to whom night shift comes naturally.