NOC Shift

Sanuk · Aug 2, 2011

As someone who has worked nights for about 10 years, I have a few tips! First, invest in a good pair of blackout curtains - this is key. Second, make sure family and friends know better than to call you after say 10 in the morning and before 4 or 5 in the afternoon. It took me 3 years to get my Mom to stop doing this :) Lastly, since it's virtually impossible to stay on this schedule when you have several days off, I take a good nap the afternoon before I have to go back, then stay up very late that night so I can sleep til at least noon or 1. Good luck!!

Dawnski · Aug 2, 2011

Thanks!

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Aug 2, 2011

Blackout curtains = a must! Since I am still getting settled into my new apartment, sometimes I'll just drape a washcloth over my eyes lol, kind of like a makeshift sleeping mask - it looks funny, but it makes the room dark so that I can actually sleep, and that way I can still breathe instead of suffocating myself with a blanket!

Let your friends/family know your schedule. Remind them that their 2pm is your 2am! I personally just silence my phone when I'm sleeping, that way I'm not disturbed. The only thing you have to worry about is work calling you, but that's more so if you're on call or something. My family is pretty good about not calling me when they know I am working. Just communicate with them!

Coffee is your friend! Seriously. Instant nurse (or CNA!) = just add coffee!

Your first night or two will probably be rough because you're not used to the schedule. After that it gets easier, I promise.

Sometimes I'll use a children's Benadryl tab to help me sleep if I'm having trouble. It makes me sleepy enough where I can actually fall asleep but doesn't induce a sleep coma lol. When I wake up I feel refreshed and not groggy. Just a warning though, being an antihistamine it dries you out! (dry mouth, etc).

The morning I get off (and if I'm off for a few days afterwards) I will go home and sleep until about 1, go about my day, then go to bed. This helps me get back onto "normal sleeping hours" :)

Starletta, CNA · Aug 2, 2011

I worked 3rd shift for a year. After a year, it was enough.. But some people love it and would never change to first shift.

It may take a little adjusting to figure out when sleep time is best for you. Some people sleep soon as they get home. I would go to sleep at 3:00 PM and sleep until 9:00 PM to start work at midnight.

Good advice about the darkening shades!! A must. Also a fan by your bed is extremely helpful. Drowns out all the back ground noises and may soothe you to sleep.

Edited to add: A few times I tried the OTC sleep aids...blech! Didn't help me sleep. Just groggy as heck at work.

Dawnski · Aug 3, 2011

Thank you everyone for your tips.

boogalina, ADN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN · Aug 4, 2011

No Doz (or the generic house brand) is good if you don't like coffee. If you can't find good blackout shades, you can make good ones out of fleece blankets. And the tip about taking a power nap before your first shift back after days off is a good one.

yousoldtheworld · Aug 4, 2011

In my opinion, the BEST thing to do is keep your sleep schedule consistent. Don't try to sleep normal human hours on your days off, or you'll confuse your body, big time. I used to work 10 p - 6 a, and I would try to sleep from 8 am or so until the afternoon. It was not much of a problem for me because I am not much of a morning person anyway, and I had the whole afternoon and evening to do what I needed to do.

Sanuk · Aug 4, 2011

yousoldtheworld, that doesn't work as well with 12's. At least in my case, I worked my 12's in a row and for those 4 days it was impossible not to work my way around to night sleeping. I tried this for about a year before I gave up and let my body do what was natural. I can see where if you were on a nights 5 out of 7 days it would be easier to stay on schedule.

It really starts to wear you down, and because of that I have requested the next available mid shift. I'm getting too old for 7p. :dzed: