Overworked, Tired, and Sleepy

[Joe V]

It's been proven that shift work can play havoc on our sleeping patterns. Rotating shifts, night shifts, one day on, one day off have all caused us to lose sleep; literally. This sleepiness also affects our social lives. It's hard to concentrate or have fun at a party if all you can think about is going to sleep. How do you cope with sleepiness? What tricks of the trade can you share?

[chaparra9037]

That looks like me instead of going out I sleep. But I try to get enough sleep on my days off as much as possible. I work nights and it is hard to get used to it. Alot of people drink so much coffee where I work at LOL.

[SweetSouthernLove, ASN, BSN]

I work part-time night shift and go to school during the daytime. Honestly, if there are other students, pre-nursing, nursing, BSN or otherwise, balancing your life becomes the main goal. I have had days/nights that honestly run into each other, sleepless nights off when I was dying to shut my body down and catch up on a good night's rest, and a To Do list that seems endless because of it.

My whole life I was always kind of a night owl, staying up "late" until about 1 or 2AM studying for school, going out, or even working other night shift jobs outside of nursing. Only now, when I do a 7A-7P shift has my night owl gene gone ZZzzZZzz. I find myself up for sometimes 2 complete days before just napping for an hour or two out of complete exhaustion.

My situation was so stressful when I first started working and added school into the mix that I had to see my Primary doctor. She saved my body and brain from excessive stress over this situation by giving me a sleeping medication. I take it when I want, need or have to sleep. Like all sleeping medications, it does make me drowsy when I wake up, but I DO feel rested enough to begin a day with energy. I also try to stay away from coffee on my days off, coffee, sodas, and rehydrate from all the caffeine I am using on my night shifts. People say to me, "oh it must be great to have every day off and not have to rush to work in 8 to 5 traffic" to my reply "you also don't have to see a doctor to sleep on your days off either." Women with children, God Bless you!

Also I do every other possible thing you can think of to try and sleep: Blackened windows, earplugs, sleep mask, pillow support (yes, I do this to myself every night I sleep, it helps wonders!) etc. etc.

Hopefully when I make my way into the OR this will be a distant and fond memory! ?

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

I work 10p-6a 3 nights a week, and 8p-6a one night a week. After my shift, I go home, sleep 4-6 hours, get up for 2-3 hours, eat, then go back to sleep until an hour before I need to go to work.

In about 3 weeks, I start a new job.....OFF nights!

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

I don't sleep very much. My circadian rhythms are completely off and I actually sleep better during the day. Right now I am going to school during the day which kills me because I naturally fall asleep around 5am. I know it's weird. I've tried absolutely everything. You know you have a problem when Ambien does nothing to help you sleep. So I look forward to my first years of being nurse when I can work nights and sleep during the day. I'm an odd one I know. I actually enjoy my sleep when I get it, it's just that the world functions on a different time table than me.

[NurseCJV]

I have worked the night shift for about a year and a half now. It was my first job. 3-4 times a week 12.5 hrs each. Never had trouble being tired and sleepy at work. They always keep us busy with looming admissions. It is during off work hours that I have trouble being productive. I'm always sleepy driving home from work. I eat then immediately sleep for 7 hrs then get up to return to work. On my night on, after having 2-3 days off. I wake up extra early, hit the gym, squeeze a few errands then nap 1-5, to get ready for work.

I force myself to return to normal sleep pattern as soon as I know I'm off. But I get into trouble because I love yo sleep especially when I don't have to return to work. If I get up at 7-8 pm then I'm in trouble because I can't fall asleep until 5 in the morning. Then I end up wasting my 2nd day off sleeping. Best case scenario I force myself to get up early like 3-4 pm early. Then sleep regularly that night.

one thing that I learned that works for me is that normal night sleep during your days off, gives u more energy on the night shifts. I don't know how other people keep the night shift schedule when they're off work.

does anyone do something similar to what I do

[explorereb96, ADN, BSN]

Been there done that for almost all of my 27 years of nursing. I don't ever remember having a day shift position. It took me a year to be able to sleep like a normal person. Let me tell you....it ages you. i have permanent dark circles under my eyes. They have faded a little since...but they are still there. But you do get used to night shift. I always had 2 jobs...one part time and one full time. I always worked nights, mostly 7p-7a. I wouldn't go to bed when I got home. I would do some housework, read a little and then plop in bed by 11am. I'd get up at 5:45p and shower, make dinner, kiss kids and off to work. Two days out of the week, I would swing by the gym and workout for an hour...quick shower, light housekeeping, then off to bed again at 11am. 4 days a week one week, then 3 days the next for the full time. I would work a 16 hour shift every other weekend at the part time. As a single parent, I had no choice.

[user_rachael]

I get nervous if I don't have time to sleep during 5am - 11am. If I have an appointment or obligation early in the morning, I'm a mess, there is no way to put myself to sleep before 4ish. I've tried all of the sleeping meds myself, I had the most success with Trazodone, but quickly built up a tolerance and made the decision to toss it.

[Joe V]

What do you do on your day off??