problem with sleeping at night

JuLeSx7d7 · Oct 1, 2011

I've been working a night shift in the last 3 monthes and I've gotten used to working night shift by staying awake when I am at work and being able to fall asleep when I come home from work. NOw my problem is when I am not working I have a problem with falling asleep. I am completely awake at night and cant fall asleep and I sleep in the morning. Now it's really driving me nuts because I cant fall asleep. Any tips on how to change my sleep pattern when I am off from work?

Actually yes, I do have a few tips ( of course these are not full proof and if they don't work you can't sue me...hehehe!)

Take it from a person who has worked ONLY 12 night shifts for the past 11 years...

If you work 3 days in a row then on the last night that you work you get off shift, say at 730am. Cool? Then go home and "attempt" to stay awake. That first night off try and go to bed around 8pm (9pm at the latest) this will not be a problem since you've been up for the past 24 hours. Wake up no later than 9am this way you are adjusting your bio clock to shift from being awake at night to being awake during the day.

I'm sure you understand that the human body was not ment to function on sleep deprivation nor was it ment to function working 12-24 nights and sleeping during the day. Let me know how this helps or if you have any questions.

Cheers!

DookieMeisterRN · Oct 1, 2011

When I worked nocs I kept the same sleep schedule on my nights off. My dh works nocs too so it worked for our schedules and there was no flipping back and forth which caused me more fatigue than just keeping the same sleep hours on my days off.

Chin up · Oct 1, 2011

Nope, still stay up till this day. Sorry:(

MomRN0913 · Oct 1, 2011

I haven't worked a night shift in almost a year and I still have a hard time sleeping at night.

I would try to get a "nap" after your last night shift. 2-3 hours, so you don't totally deprive yourself of sleep, then you should be able to sleep a little better at night.

Melatonin has been helping me a little, it works with the body's natural sleep cycle. Before you try to sleep at night, take one.

honeykrown, MSN, NP · Oct 1, 2011

while working nights since my schedules were bunched together, on the last night shift i would sleep for 2hrs, sometimes i dont. I do all he chores i have to do to stay awake i.e grocery shopping, laundry etc. That way i dont sleep and by night time i am so sleepy that i sleep through the night.

I hope this helps

divaRN* · Oct 1, 2011

Ambien :)

RNdiva505 · Oct 2, 2011

I don't really flip my schedule...but what I do is work three nights in a row...on the last day come home and wake up at 1230 then usually go to sleep at 3 in the morning maybe....but this works for me. I have no children just a husband (maybe one child then, lol)...

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Oct 2, 2011

i usually try to get up by 2-3 at the latest, after going to bed whenever i can't keep my eyes open any longer after the night shift. Doing some errands, housework, nothing too taxing, but usually in bed by 9-10am. up by 2-3 makes you very tired that night by 10-11. GL!