Schizophrenic Sleep

Goingthere · Aug 20, 2009

Is anything going on outside/inside of work that is on your mind. If this is your usual shift, then you may need to examine other influencing factors. I hope you get some sleep!

ajacketsfan · Aug 20, 2009

I was just reading a story about the relationship between light and melatonin production. Is it dark enough when you try to sleep, would it help to invest in some thick curtains and maybe a shade for the windows?

jesa · Aug 20, 2009

I hope you start getting enough sleep! when I was working 7p-7a I came home home and took a lunesta if I had to go back that night. I need need need my sleep and, for me, it worked, I got a full 7-8 hours of sleep before going back to work. I'm working 3p-3a now and it's just nice to be able to go to sleep when it's dark out.

LinzyRN · Aug 20, 2009

Maybe you should ask your doctor for something to help you sleep? I've noticed that since becoming a RN all I dream about is work and if I hear a noise I immediately wake up and cannot go back to sleep. (I've NEVER been a light sleeper.) I've used melatonin for years but started taking Benadryl only before the day I work. The Benadryl helps me stay asleep and I don't feel groogy. But I wouldn't suggest taking anything unless you have at least 8 hours to dedicate to sleep. In my little bit of experience a sleepy nurse can be dangerous.

retiredlady · Aug 20, 2009

Go to bed right when you get home, that helped me. Decrease the caffeine about 6 hours before you go to bed if you can. I couldn't sleep more that 5 hours. If you can get several nights in a row then it's better than working 1, day off, then 2, day off, etc. Good luck!

talaxandra · Aug 20, 2009

Taking calcium supplements half an hour before going to sleep, preferably with warm milk, helps me stay asleep when transitioning between time zones or days and nights. My mother (a naturopath) says it re-sets seritonin levels. All I know is that it has no side-effects, is cheap & non-prescription, and is not habit-forming. Oh, and it works, at least for me.

chicookie, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2009

Even when working day shift I would go home and not sleep because I was just so wired. Even exhausted and I couldn't sleep. So what I did was go to bed, and relax. My NS instructor would tell us to close our eyes, take a deep breath and relax our toes. take a deep breath and relax our legs. Etc I never make it past my arms.

netglow, ASN, RN · Aug 20, 2009

I'll add to Talaxandra's calcium...

Take a pretty decent dose of that calcium. Citrate is better. Look for good absorption. Check it yourself by dropping one in a glass of water, if it doesn't start to dissolve in a timely manner, you need to change brands. If you find that you are beginning to get constipated (it might do that) then get a little magnesium with it.

footsoldier · Aug 20, 2009

Have been a chronic night shifter off and on.

A key for me is exercise. Might help your seritonin levels

too. Got me through 20 NDs straight etc.

But I don't think you can fully escape disturbed sleep patterns,

some weeks are like that.:zzzzz

Indy, LPN, LVN · Aug 20, 2009

I have a little "goody bag" of what works for me and I try to keep it just varied enough so that one method doesn't crap out on me and quit working. First, there is the part where there is a routine to my bedtimes even though they are in the morning. Second, try to get home on time or close to it, then have something to eat. Very frequently it will include milk. I like oatmeal, or soup, or a turkey sandwich, whatever. I take my drugs right before eating and the food helps me feel full by the time the meds start to work.

My meds: first off I do my daily inhaler and asthma meds at this time, along with my daily aspirin. I will add what I feel is needed for sleep. It may be a motrin if I'm sore, or a benadryl, or a mucinex, but it will only be ONE from the sleep-inducing category since the aim is to be able to wake up again. If I have a bad headache I may take one motrin and one tylenol and leave off the sleep med, since taking too much crap can make the headache worse and leave me wide awake and miserable.

Another med I really like is GABA. Yep, the amino acid neurotransmitter, happens to be sold at GNC stores. About 300 mg is a good sleep dose for me, and for my husband, I'm 125 lbs and he's around 210 lbs. The bottle I bought is 700 mg capsules, I open the capsule and dump half out, put it back together and take it. It does not make me sleepy, but if I go to bed after taking it, I sleep 8 hrs, and wake up not groggy. I consider it a good thing to add to my orificenal.

This gives me enough variety to not be taking benadryl all the time, and usually there is one day per week (at least) when I don't take a darn thing, asthma meds included, and just go flop down and sleep. It feels good to get a nice nap on no meds! If I wake up on any day prior to two pm, I will attempt to go back to sleep, sometimes with a small glass of milk on board. After two PM it is just not worth it to try, so I will get up and probably drink too much coffee that night.

Sleep masks are good. I don't currently have blackout curtains and it's not a problem. But seriously, if all else fails and sleep just will NOT visit, my secret, best, most wonderful weapon is my pharmacology book. Get it out, start reading any of it, and zzz's happen within 10 minutes. "Dopamine has an extra amine group... something something blood brain barrier... " and five minutes later the alarm goes off.