sleep anyone???

[25(2)+2]

here i sit should be sleeping. i work 3rd shift. my sleeping patterns are crappy to say the least. usually i get home anywhere from 8:15- 9:00 am. sit up for an hour or two then go to bed for anywhere from 2 to 3 hrs. get up and lie down anywhere from 5-7 pm and awake at 10pm and go to work. on my days off i sleep more than i am awake can be anywhere from 12-15 hours. does anyone else have this problem. i have been working 3rd shift for over 6 years.

[casi, ASN, RN]

It all depends on the day. Sometimes I'm soooo absolutely exhausted that I crash, but most of my days off I push myself staying awake. I wont sleep for 24 hours at a time because I want to be awake during the day, and then I start to wake up at night and not sleep. Night shift really can mess with ones body. I also go to school during the day too right after work, so that doesn't help.

I should be sleeping right now. Worked 10-6:30a then school 9:30-12p I also have to be back to work for a meeting at 9 tonight, but it's my day off. I want to play.

[muffie, RN]

i've been doing shift work for 20 years. ughhhhh. i switch as many night shifts as possible. 10 years ago insomnia hit me really really bad. i had about 6 night time and one daytime sleep studies only to tell me i have " shift worker syndrome ". after trying many meds, sleepless nights and way too many tears of frustration [of course i never called in sick-loser me} elavil 20 mg at hs is my answer.whether i go to bed at 0800 or 2200, it gives me about 4-5 hours of sleep. seems to be a familial thing[dad and bro also]. i am also a very light sleeper. anyway i read and learned a lot about sleep hygiene. please get a book and read it so you can do all you can to relieve your suffering, and most of all good luck!

[valifay]

I function on abour 5 hours a night during the week, and 7 or 8 on the weekends when I don't work. 3rd shift is the hardest to get used to, but the more you stick with a routine, the better sleep you will get. Try not to get up again after your 2 hour nap. Just laying in bed will be rest and if your that tired, you shuld be able to fall back asleep. When I worked 3rd shift that was the only time I got regular sleep and enough of it. I would go to bed at about 9 or 10 and wake up at 5 when my husband got home from work.

[oneLoneNurse]

Have worked 7p-7a for the last year. Will be switching to 8s M-F shortly, back into Nursing Informatics from an hiatus. I will miss having so much time off and the closeness of our group, BUT know I want to be back into my real passion. With that in mind am starting an MLIS degree this Spring semester.

[augigi, CNS]

Yes!! I am a sleep machine. After several years of nights, I've been on day shift for 3 years, but I still never wake without an alarm and can sleep 14 hours easily if I don't have to get up.

[TallGirlAni]

How well lit is your bedroom? You might want to darken your room with something that prevents light from coming in. That way, when you start sleeping at 10 AM, you stay sleeping until your 7-8 hours of sleep are up. You may also want to consult with your physician about sleep aid prescriptions that may work for you. I know that we give our patients benadryl as a sleep aid. Also, when you are getting off of work, wear sunglasses right before you exit the hospital and keep them on until you get to your darkened bedroom. This helps me the most to get the most sleep. If my room is not darkened, then I will sleep like you do, a few hours, then wake up. I actually have a sleeping bag unzipped that I throw over the curtain rod and shut my bedroom door. It gets pretty dark and I am able to fall asleep much faster and for longer. When your body is exposed to sunlight, it thinks that it is time to awake. Something about the circadian sleep cycle......

[augigi, CNS]

Melatonin supplements can help with resetting the body clock too.

[Veronica27]

Hell I work 2nd shift (3pm-11:30pm) and when I come home I cant fall asleep sometimes I don't get to sleep until 4 am..