Sleepless on the night shift

reyna · Jun 29, 2004

i work 4 nocs straight and on my days off, i only sleep for about 4-5 hours when i get home and i try not to take a nap. it sort of works.

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2004

My feet ache so terribly after my 12h shifts that it's impossible to sleep until the pain subsides. Anyone else have that problem? I'll get home at 800, take a shower to decontaminate and have a cup of decaf and a Tylenol PM. By 1000 I'm usually comfy enough to sleep and I'll sleep like a rock till 4 or 5 so long as I turn off the phone ringer. I'll still be kind of drowsy from the Tylenol PM by 2200 and I'm ready to sleep again.

I only work two nights a week and rarely do I pull two nights in a row. I like having a day between shifts to recover. On my days off, I sleep at night like everyone else.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2004

My feet ache so terribly after my 12h shifts that it's impossible to sleep until the pain subsides. Anyone else have that problem?

Yes, my feet used to kill me when I got home, especially after my 2nd or 3rd 12 in a row. I changed shoes because I was developing plantar fascitis (or however you spell it) and they hurt even worse when I first woke up and got out of bed. That helped quite a bit - bought Danskos - but sometimes they still really hurt. I have one of those foot spas - you know, the kind you fill with water and has jets and such? REALLY HELPS. You can even put epsom salt or foot bath in there if you want. Maybe while you sip your decaf you can sit with your feet in the spa and relax. They cost about $20-$50.

Butternut · Jun 29, 2004

When working 12 hr shifts at night, if it is not such a hectic night, how do you pass the time, especially after midnight?

Does anyone here do all their days to work in a row, such as 4 or 6 twelves?

ALLEYRN96 · Jun 30, 2004

I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR SISTER! MY 3 YEAR OLD SON AND MY THIRTY SOMETHING HUSBAND DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT MOMMY NEEDS A NAP FAST AFTER WORKING 3 BACK TO BACK 12'S IN ICU. I FIND IT HELPFUL TO TAKE A QUICK NAP THE FIRST DAY (COUPLE HOURS OR SO) THEN SLEEP REALLY LONG DAY 2 (AS LONG AS POSSIBLE), MODERATELY LONG DAY 3 (ABOUT 5-6 HOURS, GOD WILLING), A SHORT NAP IN THE AM FIRST DAY OFF THEN SLEEP THAT NIGHT AND THE REST OF MY NIGHTS OFF LIKE THE DEAD. I USUALLY FEEL LIKE I'VE MORPHED INTO A DAY-ISH TYPE PERSON AND CAN FUNCTION RELATIVELY WELL AND ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE MY FAMILY FOR A FEW HOURS SEVERAL DAYS THEN NO HOURS MOST DAYS. I'VE BEEN DOING NIGHTS EIGHT LONG YEARS (WAY BEFORE THE FAM) AND IT SEEMS THAT I ALWAYS HAVE TO TRY NEW WAYS TO SLEEP IN ORDER TO TRICK MYSELF INTO THINKING I'M NOT REALLY AS SLEEP DEPRIVED AS I FEEL. ESSENTIALLY - WHATEVER WORKS OVER THE LONG HAUL. EVEN IF IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2004

Nothing helps me sleep during the day better than gentle rain storm. Dark skies, rolling thunder (not crashes but the rumbling kind) and steady hard rain. Unfortunately we've been having a dry spell. :cool: I've tried closing the drapes and putting on one of those Nature CDs with the rain in the background but it's not the same.

happynewLPN · Jun 30, 2004

I'm not sure what the answer is for you, but the dark sunglasses sound right. I work 2nd shift, but I do occasionally work 3rd, and I find it pretty easy to do, but then again, I'm not doing it for 12 hours, and I don't do it all the time. I find that if I don't nap before I go in for a 3rd shift, by the time I'm ready to go home, I'm exhausted, and I practially fall into bed and sleep for 6-7 hours, regardless of light in my room, noise, etc.

I know 3rd shift can be difficult for some people, and some never become adjusted. Do whatever you need to do to get your rest. I think that's a big issue for shift workers. It's important to not let the shift affect your health, too.

Good luck, and hope you get some rest!

Lisa :)

HannasMom · Jun 30, 2004

RNKittyCat, I think that is why I sleep better during the fall, winter a early spring here in Oregon. It rains here during those months, is cool and often cloudy. As soon as summer comes it is a little more difficult. I find myself going to bed later in the summer, than in the fall and winter. I use to go to bed at 7:30 or 8 am, now I go to bed around 9 or 10 am and sleep until 6 or 7 pm.

happynewLPN · Jun 30, 2004

Also, I give all you 3rd shifters a ton of credit for the fall/winter months. I would hate going in to work in the dark (I know that's all the time), but then leaving and it's still just barely dawn, sleeping through all the available daylight, and potentially waking up and it's dark! WOW!!

Lisa :)

SugarMagnolia · Jun 30, 2004

I worked the night shift for about 13 years. I have the advantage of no children. I put black shades in my bedroom windows, my room was as dark as a pocket. I would most often split my sleep.. sleep a few hours in the am..get up & do errands then lie back down in the early evening for an hour or 2. It also helped that I was a coffee hound...still am. I have a little blood running through my caffeine stream. Pam

LPN4Life · Jul 1, 2004

NO COFFEE AFTER 2am? OMG lol, I would be asleep at the nurses station if I stopped drinking coffee.

For me, I just take Tyl pm when I get off work, the 30 min drive relaxes me, and I go to bed. Like Tweety, I take little naps on and off, I still think I have as much time with my family as I would if I was working days. I used to work dayshift 12 hr shifts too, you get off work, its time to get a quick supper, kiss your kids goodbye and go back to bed to start all over in the morning.

I tend to wake up earlier on my days off when I work nites, I don't know why, but, I think nites gives me more time with my family than working days, I working while they are sleeping, sleeping while they are in school and up for the afternoon and evening. (my 2 little ones aren't in school, but I'm sleeping while they are destroying the house :uhoh21: )

alacek · Jul 6, 2004

When working 12 hr shifts at night, if it is not such a hectic night, how do you pass the time, especially after midnight?
Does anyone here do all their days to work in a row, such as 4 or 6 twelves?

I am in the Air Force, and when we aren't busy at night, we exercise! We are mandated to exercise 3 times a week, so we brought some Tae Bo and other exercise tapes to work. We bring the TV and VCR in the nursery (plenty of room, and our babies sleep with mom) and we exercise away! We have mats and everything. Works really well for us, and our unit is set up that we can still keep a good eye on any patients we may have, without disturbing them.

Sometimes, if we have no motivation to exercise, we work on our additional duties and other uniquely AF stuff. Sometimes we watch movies. Phase 10 is pretty popular too! Whatever works!