5am "fog"

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Any 7p to 7a folks out there relate?? I do real well 7-11 or 12. Busy assessing, passing meds and what not. Then till about 2 for charting then lunch. 3-4 start assessing again then all of the sudden BAM!! Feels like someone just unplugs me!! LOL!! All my synapses just go to sleep! :sleep:Nothing connects!! Anyone else ever deal with this?? Any snack food/tips/etc. to get me thru these last 2 hours??

Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.
Any 7p to 7a folks out there relate?? I do real well 7-11 or 12. Busy assessing, passing meds and what not. Then till about 2 for charting then lunch. 3-4 start assessing again then all of the sudden BAM!! Feels like someone just unplugs me!! LOL!! All my synapses just go to sleep! :sleep:Nothing connects!! Anyone else ever deal with this?? Any snack food/tips/etc. to get me thru these last 2 hours??

At 5 am I start getting busy all over again.....doing last calls for pain relief, entering vitals, checking incontinent people making sure they're dry before day shift, picking up the rooms, etc. I always and I mean always get busy a couple of hours before shift change. :yeah:

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Do not sit down.

Once you have reached that level of tired, inertia really sets in.

If a patient needs something, getting up takes tremendous effort.

I would do some stretching and jumping jacks to get the blood flowing and get some temporary relief until the tempo of the unit starts picking up at 0600.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Have to stay hydrated and stay busy. At least be talking to someone about something or I will absolutely fall apart.

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Specializes in NICU.

0500 is that start of the next day for us, so that one isn't a problem. My worst used to be 3-4, when I was just 'going through the motions,' and working on autopilot. Now I just take my break later than most, usually around 3, and it gets me through.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

Mine's usually about 4-5. Since a warm drink makes me sleepy, I pop a Crystal Light with caffeine into my water bottle about 0330, and try to head it off at the pass, and then go bathe the total cares that the CNA hasn't gotten to yet..

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

BE CAREFUL w/caffiene after ~ 2-3 am--you could get too wired to sleep.

Also, get a good pair of very dark sunglasses, put them on before you leave the building--if the sunlight hits your retina, it re-sets your circadian rhythm clock, makes it harder to sleep well.

Eating an apple or something healthy and crunchy on the way home helps you to not fall asleep enroute. Freeways are not for sleeping on!!

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Specializes in Oncology.

Oh man, can't relate at all. 5am is the busiest! We're just starting to get lab results which means giving insulin, hanging blood products, handing electrolytes, etc, etc. We can also get started on 6am meds and I&Os (and giving Lasix based on those), which can get pretty heavy too.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

I try to get my house supervisor to relieve me for lunch between 3-4 am. I then go upstairs to the fitness room and work out ( 20 minutes on treadmill, and 10 min weights). It usually keeps my mind awake enough to give report and pass 6am meds. If I have to take my lunch break earlier, I pop caffiene until 2:30 am. (I don't get home till 8:30am).

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

4-6am is "stocking" time for me. I stock supplies, clean up, put pumps in dirty utility, tidy up pt rooms if they are awake etc. The movement keeps me going until the moment my head hits the pillow and my fiancee fades out of my vision for 8 hours.

Tait

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