staying awake on night-shift

[MsJessikia]

Hi there...

I work nights (7p-7a) and sometimes I have the hardest time staying awake. I guess my biggest problem is getting enough sleep before hand... But my question to you all is: What do you do at night (when you have the spare time) to keep from getting too tired!!!

TIA

[Jacibelle]

I am working M-F 8-5. I have never been away from my daughter this much and I miss her terribly! I don't like putting her in daycare 5 days a week for 8 hours a day either!

I have an opportunity coming up to take a new job working in my field of passion, however it is night shifts. It is only 2 nights a week 7p to 7a, but I don't know if I will be able to stay sane doing that! I think I would have to put my daughter in daycar 2 days a week for like 6 hours, so I could sleep, but that is better than 5 days a week. I don't want to mess up my home life tho. Because it is only 2 nights a week, I would sleep "normally" on my days off, so I don't know if I could ever adjust to that! Any advice or opinions would be appreciated! Should I stay at my M-F job or go to 2 overnights a week? help!!! Thank you

[kitty29]

YES!!!

Since the unit is pretty clear of admninistration and parents...things are so much more fun and relaxed on the night shift!!! It's not like we're doing anything "bad" - it's just that we can be silly if we want to be without judgement.

YES! I truely don't think I could deal with the "office people" on the day shift anymore...too much drama!

[kitty29]

Stay busy & refrain from eating too many carbs.

You are right...I try to stay as balanced as I can and also try to stay away from caffiene...but I am sipping on some black tea right now!

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

I am working M-F 8-5. I have never been away from my daughter this much and I miss her terribly! I don't like putting her in daycare 5 days a week for 8 hours a day either!

I have an opportunity coming up to take a new job working in my field of passion, however it is night shifts. It is only 2 nights a week 7p to 7a, but I don't know if I will be able to stay sane doing that! I think I would have to put my daughter in daycar 2 days a week for like 6 hours, so I could sleep, but that is better than 5 days a week. I don't want to mess up my home life tho. Because it is only 2 nights a week, I would sleep "normally" on my days off, so I don't know if I could ever adjust to that! Any advice or opinions would be appreciated! Should I stay at my M-F job or go to 2 overnights a week? help!!! Thank you

I think it is doable. 5 days off vs 2 days off, that is pretty tempting. How old is your daughter?

[RNSweetB]

I agree with the majority here, sleep during the day is the only way to make it through the night. Here are some tips I've discovered while working nights:

* a good eye mask is essential- it makes it nice and dark so your body can rest

* Melatonin - a natural herbal supplement, you can pick up at places with the vitamins, (like wal-mart, drug stores...) Helps you fall asleep without the nasty hangover feeling Benadryl can some times give you. Not sure about taking it while your pregnant like one poster was asking, but it'd be worth checking with the OB about.

As for at work I try to stay away from alot of carbs, caffeine, and sugar. They seem to make you crash and even more sleepy than you were.

Good Luck to everyone with thier transition to the "Dark Side." Hope you enjoy it, the work is better (not nessesarily easier) b/c of no family or docs. But it is a lifestyle change. You'll have to take all the tips you get here and adapt them to your own way. Have fun and hope it all works out for you all!!!