Noc shift blues

[Tinuviel]

Im in my 4th week of the spring semester and I GOT the blues! I dont kow if its due to me working 5 night shifts a week, going to school all day and getting very little rest.....

OR if its just the noc shift itself.

Ive heard there have been studies on mental/physical changes, good and bad, while working this shift.

Has anyone else experienced depression while working nights?

I have 2 days a week off, from school and work and these are the days I usually catch up on my sleep. I really dont feel overly tired..just overly BLUE!!

Anyone have any good info out there?

Thanks!

[vedm]

yes, it can be easy getting the noc shift blues. there are some tricks you can try though. you might need some light therapy. sometimes in the winter, i will go to the tanning bed if i start feeling this way. it makes me feel better.

also, you might try to stay on the same schedule. if you work nights, they you live that way. the nights are your days, even on the days you are off and your days are your nights. bouncing back and forth between day sleep and night sleep can be rough on you.

anyway, night shifts aren't for everyone. if you are a night person, then it works out pretty good. but if you are an early morning person, it is a hard shift to work.

alot of night shifters end up on anti-depressants.

[poe me]

I don't see how you do this. Working nites and getting off in the am and going to school is very hard for anyone. How do you absorb all the info? When do you have time to study? I also work nites but I only do it on the weekends. My advice to you is try to rearrange your hours at work. Going to nursing school is hard there is a lot of important info. that you need to know and you should always be well rested.