Nurses General Nursing
Published Jan 29, 2012
I am so darn tired on my days off, I just want to lay around and do NOTHING. I don't care about dinner, a clean house or anything. I just want to sleep. My body aches and I am JUST. PLAIN. TIRED. Is it just me?
Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN
469 Posts
I wish I had energy... I also enjoy my food so there's a lot of lounging with something going in my belly. I'm currently in my pajamas eating sweet potato chips and not doing a dang thang! Ivanna
Footballnut
162 Posts
I used to get a lot more done when I worked 8 hour days. Does anyone have any good studies on the effects of 12 hour shifts? I am pretty sure running all day for 12 hours with only half an hour for lunch (maybe) is not conducive to high energy days immediately afterwards. I tried to fight it for years. Now I just give up and lounge for a day. When else are you going to catch up on all the recorded TV programs you missed while you were working?
LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN
1,316 Posts
I work 8hr night shifts and I feel the same way, right now I have been awake for 25.5 hrs because I tried to be social today and went to church with my kids and out to lunch, however today is not the norm for me
I am planning on crashing in a couple of hours and then lounging all day tomorrow.
When I worked 12 hrs it always took a day to recover, now I am 8 hrs, but working nights and I feel more exshausted than ever, all I want to do is stay in my sweats/pjs and lounge or sleep when I am off work
NoviceRN10
901 Posts
Me too. Working only three 8s a week but it's nights and I always feel tired, useless, and unmotivated when I am not working. It sucks.
Mandi3020
17 Posts
I just work the weekends. I'm part-time and my days are either 10-12 hours. Come Monday I'm so tired I can hardly move; sometimes I stay in my nightgown all day. So no, it's not just you :-)
wonder_wall
10 Posts
sigh... (that's how tired i am)
Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN
4 Articles; 7,907 Posts
OP: it's not just you. Some days I feel like that...and so I do just that--nothing--as far as my life will let me anyway. I mean, I can ignore the laundry and eat something frozen for dinner, but I really can't ignore the little one :)
joanna73, BSN, RN
4,767 Posts
It takes me 2 to 3 days to recover from these 12 hour shifts. In order for me to feel rested, I need at least 5 days off. It isn't just you.
PS: I slept 9.5 hours today.
Been there,done that, ASN, RN
7,219 Posts
You are experiencing the universal challenge of nursing.
It is emotionally, physically and intellectually EXHAUSTING.
Use the ambition and smarts that led you into this mess.. to overcome the effects.
Emotionally... make the cognitive decision to accept the challenge, then let it go.
Intellectually.. learn from each problem or success , and congratulate yourself.
(nobody else will).
Physically.. FORCE yourself to exercise for @ least 10 minutes a day to release the pent up energy.
It is the only way to survive.
nurse2b0272
18 Posts
I work nights 4 on and 2 off and being tired has become a way of life. I usually end of sleeping all day my first morning off and during the regular work week I usually run on 5 hrs of sleep a day. I try to take vitamins because Lord knows I don't eat regularly. In the mornings when I get off work sleep wins hands down over food so I end up eating something after I pick the kids up from school or when I fix dinner.
You are so lucky!!