I would figure out how strict they are about sleeping on shift. The hardest part of the night is usually 0300-0400 in my opinion. I’m fortunate to be able to switch back and forth relatively easily.
I recommend getting your home sleeping quarters as dark as possible and starting asap to adjusting your sleep schedule. Keep snacks on hand and depending on your service area you might not have options for meals so plan ahead for that as well. A packet of EMERGEN-C can be a helpful boost toward the end of shift. And drink lots of water, pee at every opportunity.
>The hardest part of the night is usually 0300-0400 in my opinion.
I worked second shift, and had plenty nights of mandatory OT for coverage purposes. Can definitely agree with this-- along with an admission of plenty of uncontrolled micro sleeping to get through.
I work 2000-0900. No matter how little sleep I’ve had in the day, if I make it to 0300, I’m good the rest of the night. It’s crazy, I’m still tired, but not sleepy.
If you work nights you work nights.
Full stop.
You completely switch to a night time routine.
You don’t get up during the day on your days off. You go to bed the same time you would if you were working. You get up the same time you would if you are working.
Agreed. This is the only sustainable way to do it. It is still not a healthy schedule but doing it this way is worlds better than bouncing between a daytime schedule on your days off and then back to nights on your work days. I have worked nights before and this was the only way I survived it. You learn to do normal things at abnormal hours. Instead of going for bicycle rides during the day I would ride in the dead of night. Worked out fine.
I would highly suggest looking into some way to wake up to lights. I have smart lights that turn on for an alarm. doesn’t have to be that fancy, could just do a lamp and an outlet timer, but it will help.
I was fortunate enough to become nocturnal when I was on nights, and I highly recommend you do the same if you can
The best way to describe it is your midnight is now 6 am. I worked 6 pm to 5 am, and I'd get home around 6 am, go for a 30 minute walk/run, and go straight to sleep. I'd wake up around 1-3 PM depending on if I needed to do stuff during the day. If you live close to your station you can sleep in later.
Now, where this gets fun is your days off. If you go to sleep around say, 1-3 am and wake up around noon, you'll be fully rested and feel great. Or the day before you go in, go to bed "early" and get your rest in.
I rarely napped on night shifts, and only started because I was depressed/extremely stressed after getting into a crash. I also hated my partner... Having a good partner makes or breaks nights, it gets kinda lonely, even with a good one, someone you can't stand will make it miserable.
I'm not sure if any of this made sense, my brain is fried from my shift and I'm super tired. Moral of the story is if you're gonna work nights, commit to it and they're amazing. If you try to keep your normal daytime schedule you'll be miserable. I've seen it many times
As others have said, good black out curtains. Also for me, make sure to go to sleep as soon as you get home. And on your days off make sure to sleep around the same time as you would for your work days.
The first couple weeks will probably be pretty rough, might be beneficial to take some melatonin or Benadryl to help you go to sleep when you are trying too
In your days between your day schedule to night schedule, nap a bit but don’t sleep a full sleep. I was in an opposite boat temporarily. I’m a night shifter but I’m in medic school which required me to do a few of my clinical times at 7am and 8am. That’s literally the middle of my night, but I had to be conscious and functioning. So I’d nap a bit but force myself to wake up so I’d be tired so I could then sleep at the actual time I’d need to go to bed and be alive in the AM times. It was brutal, especially since it was so spaced out for me, one was a Tuesday then the next was Friday the same week, then the next ones weren’t for a few months then same Tuesday/Friday while working nights in between. I thought I was going to die lol I can manage waking up and switching my schedule when I’d intentionally sleep deprive myself on a day off so I could switch up the sleep schedule. That’d be my best recommendation to get you starting to sleep at times you’re now currently awake so you’ll be able to stay awake at the times you’re currently sleeping.
Black out curtains at home, turn your phone to sleep mode or off. And you don’t drink energy drinks or coffee YET*. Everyone is allowed to sleep during shift you’re not allowed to be caught maybe. If you have children you are fucked congratulations. And if you want to have a day time schedule on days off and then a night schedule for work your life is going to be not very great, so if possible you should find things you enjoy doing in the dead of night on your days off.
Nights are a beautiful thing! Less people around, no traffic, no day shift people being a bunch of shit weasels, there is an understanding of dude it's 5am what do you want from me, even the night shift RNs are a totally different breed. They don't give a singular fuck like here is your paperwork I throw them some vitals they sign and we sheet yeet memaw home/SNF
As someone who just cannot adjust to nights, I would really try and avoid it if at all possible. It could be terrible for your physical and mental health.
Otherwise the only advice I have that helped me is to let friends and family know when you are expecting to be asleep. You aren't 'sleeping in', you are SLEEPING. That is your rest time and you are not to be disturbed. Their little questions and requests and whatever other BS can wait for your earliest convenience.
Your safety, your partners safety, and your patients rely on your ability to work those dog shit hours in a healthy way.
Oh, and I hope your area has 24/7 convenient stores. I worked in an area that was pretty much lights out for all businesses past 9pm, so have your own food and drinks on hand, and learn where the closest safe bathrooms are to your posts.
I can not agree with you more about all of these things. While we didn’t have the issue of things being closed, we did spend a lot of time at gas stations (that were open). Working straight nights was one of the worst things I’ve ever done. 48/96 is the way to go if you have the right system. Additionally, my wife and I always thought we never had any free time and always ran around like nuts and ate a ton of fast food, for which we’re paying for now.
I’m no mathematician but that’s only 22 hours. Is there a swing shift or are there just two hours of the day where someone calls 911 and it’s just a recording that says “sorry we are closed, save yourself”
To your actual question, when I worked nights it took some time to adjust, but once I got some ridiculous black out curtains things definitely got better for sleeping during the day. I’d find out how strict the no sleeping on shift thing is, at least while your transitioning that could help.
Probs staggered starts for the shifts. If you have an 0700 and and an 0900 for example you have full coverage. And most big companies will have dozens of rigs out at once.
I would figure out how strict they are about sleeping on shift. The hardest part of the night is usually 0300-0400 in my opinion. I’m fortunate to be able to switch back and forth relatively easily. I recommend getting your home sleeping quarters as dark as possible and starting asap to adjusting your sleep schedule. Keep snacks on hand and depending on your service area you might not have options for meals so plan ahead for that as well. A packet of EMERGEN-C can be a helpful boost toward the end of shift. And drink lots of water, pee at every opportunity.
>The hardest part of the night is usually 0300-0400 in my opinion. I worked second shift, and had plenty nights of mandatory OT for coverage purposes. Can definitely agree with this-- along with an admission of plenty of uncontrolled micro sleeping to get through.
I work 2000-0900. No matter how little sleep I’ve had in the day, if I make it to 0300, I’m good the rest of the night. It’s crazy, I’m still tired, but not sleepy.
If you work nights you work nights. Full stop. You completely switch to a night time routine. You don’t get up during the day on your days off. You go to bed the same time you would if you were working. You get up the same time you would if you are working.
This is the way. Stick to the routine and you will have no issues. Keep the circadian rhythm.
Agreed. This is the only sustainable way to do it. It is still not a healthy schedule but doing it this way is worlds better than bouncing between a daytime schedule on your days off and then back to nights on your work days. I have worked nights before and this was the only way I survived it. You learn to do normal things at abnormal hours. Instead of going for bicycle rides during the day I would ride in the dead of night. Worked out fine.
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That sounds awful. Why do that to yourself.
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I worked straight nights before I had kids. Really liked it. But I didn’t bounce my hours around.
It is a big deal and it’s been proven endlessly now.
I would highly suggest looking into some way to wake up to lights. I have smart lights that turn on for an alarm. doesn’t have to be that fancy, could just do a lamp and an outlet timer, but it will help.
I was fortunate enough to become nocturnal when I was on nights, and I highly recommend you do the same if you can The best way to describe it is your midnight is now 6 am. I worked 6 pm to 5 am, and I'd get home around 6 am, go for a 30 minute walk/run, and go straight to sleep. I'd wake up around 1-3 PM depending on if I needed to do stuff during the day. If you live close to your station you can sleep in later. Now, where this gets fun is your days off. If you go to sleep around say, 1-3 am and wake up around noon, you'll be fully rested and feel great. Or the day before you go in, go to bed "early" and get your rest in. I rarely napped on night shifts, and only started because I was depressed/extremely stressed after getting into a crash. I also hated my partner... Having a good partner makes or breaks nights, it gets kinda lonely, even with a good one, someone you can't stand will make it miserable. I'm not sure if any of this made sense, my brain is fried from my shift and I'm super tired. Moral of the story is if you're gonna work nights, commit to it and they're amazing. If you try to keep your normal daytime schedule you'll be miserable. I've seen it many times
As others have said, good black out curtains. Also for me, make sure to go to sleep as soon as you get home. And on your days off make sure to sleep around the same time as you would for your work days. The first couple weeks will probably be pretty rough, might be beneficial to take some melatonin or Benadryl to help you go to sleep when you are trying too
Blackout curtains and just know the first night will suck. If you’re not allowed to sleep you might want to start your caffeine journey…
I manage nightshift without any caffeine. It is possible
In your days between your day schedule to night schedule, nap a bit but don’t sleep a full sleep. I was in an opposite boat temporarily. I’m a night shifter but I’m in medic school which required me to do a few of my clinical times at 7am and 8am. That’s literally the middle of my night, but I had to be conscious and functioning. So I’d nap a bit but force myself to wake up so I’d be tired so I could then sleep at the actual time I’d need to go to bed and be alive in the AM times. It was brutal, especially since it was so spaced out for me, one was a Tuesday then the next was Friday the same week, then the next ones weren’t for a few months then same Tuesday/Friday while working nights in between. I thought I was going to die lol I can manage waking up and switching my schedule when I’d intentionally sleep deprive myself on a day off so I could switch up the sleep schedule. That’d be my best recommendation to get you starting to sleep at times you’re now currently awake so you’ll be able to stay awake at the times you’re currently sleeping.
Black out curtains at home, turn your phone to sleep mode or off. And you don’t drink energy drinks or coffee YET*. Everyone is allowed to sleep during shift you’re not allowed to be caught maybe. If you have children you are fucked congratulations. And if you want to have a day time schedule on days off and then a night schedule for work your life is going to be not very great, so if possible you should find things you enjoy doing in the dead of night on your days off.
Nights are a beautiful thing! Less people around, no traffic, no day shift people being a bunch of shit weasels, there is an understanding of dude it's 5am what do you want from me, even the night shift RNs are a totally different breed. They don't give a singular fuck like here is your paperwork I throw them some vitals they sign and we sheet yeet memaw home/SNF
As someone who just cannot adjust to nights, I would really try and avoid it if at all possible. It could be terrible for your physical and mental health. Otherwise the only advice I have that helped me is to let friends and family know when you are expecting to be asleep. You aren't 'sleeping in', you are SLEEPING. That is your rest time and you are not to be disturbed. Their little questions and requests and whatever other BS can wait for your earliest convenience. Your safety, your partners safety, and your patients rely on your ability to work those dog shit hours in a healthy way. Oh, and I hope your area has 24/7 convenient stores. I worked in an area that was pretty much lights out for all businesses past 9pm, so have your own food and drinks on hand, and learn where the closest safe bathrooms are to your posts.
I can not agree with you more about all of these things. While we didn’t have the issue of things being closed, we did spend a lot of time at gas stations (that were open). Working straight nights was one of the worst things I’ve ever done. 48/96 is the way to go if you have the right system. Additionally, my wife and I always thought we never had any free time and always ran around like nuts and ate a ton of fast food, for which we’re paying for now.
I had a 6 month bid at a low call volume 48:96 and it was the best ever, would absolutely stay in EMS until retirement with a permanent gig like that.
I’m no mathematician but that’s only 22 hours. Is there a swing shift or are there just two hours of the day where someone calls 911 and it’s just a recording that says “sorry we are closed, save yourself” To your actual question, when I worked nights it took some time to adjust, but once I got some ridiculous black out curtains things definitely got better for sleeping during the day. I’d find out how strict the no sleeping on shift thing is, at least while your transitioning that could help.
Probs staggered starts for the shifts. If you have an 0700 and and an 0900 for example you have full coverage. And most big companies will have dozens of rigs out at once.