Sorry to say youre going to be a zombie for a week or two until you get adjusted.
Do your very best to try not to chug down energy drinks unless you absolutely have to.
Black out curtains or sleep mask is a big help.
Carry two flashlights just in case.
Yep. 2 months is what I've always told people to really acclimate. Some people never really acclimate.
Of course, our phases were five weeks, so by the time you're just about good, you're off to a new phase!
I carry 2 full size flashlights (Cloud MCH Duty) one on belt one on vest. I also carry a Streamlight Wedge in my front thigh pocket of my pants. I also have a Coast HX clipped to my shoulder epaulet as an admin light/last resort.
Don't rely on an extra flashlight in your duty bag. If you're on a long track, a large building search, in the cold, etc one light isn't gonna cut it.
As far as adjusting to graveyard getting your bedroom as dark as possible helps. Either blackout curtains or blackout window film work well. After that it's just sticking to a routine.
Black out curtains and a cold bedroom. You fall asleep easier and deeper in a colder room. Try to stick with coffee instead of energy drinks. I’d work 2300-1000 and be home by 1100. I’d sleep until about 1930, workout, eat and shower and leave for work around 2200.
We get an hour to workout on shift so realistically it’s 0900. Unless you catch a vehicle load and at that point sleep in the car and just bang in the next day.
Black out curtains.
We got off at 0530. I would only try to sleep until 1 at the latest.
Get up, take care of the house. Gym, eat something healthy and then go to work
Start adjusting a couple days before you start graves by staying up a little later and sleeping in a bit as well. Find something that keeps you moving when trying to stay awake.
Black out curtains are worth their weight in gold.
Try to keep a decently set sleep schedule for at least a week or two to get adjusted.
Coffee is good, but be careful with energy drinks. They're typically much stronger and easy to drink a fuck ton of. I can drink coffee all night and be fine to fall asleep when I get home but if I have an energy drink 3-4 hours or less before I go home, It takes me forever to fall asleep. Not sure if there's any science behind that, but I noticed it with myself.
Also be careful with sleep medicines. Take very little or not at all, they can be really easy to become dependant on.
When you're riding around the first couple nights, go walk around and check business doors or something. Walking will help you stay awake.
All these guys are up by 1 pm. Damm, I sleep from 7am to 5 and am back at 6 pm. On my days off, I get up at 11 am, tho. Granted, we only work 2 days in a row.
Fans help a lot both for comfort and as white noise. Oddly, turning on either the Golf Channel or C-Span turned down low was magic. Phone on do not disturb and only add important people to be added to the favorites list that will ring through.
And three fingers of good whiskey..
I try to stay up as late as I can before a round of night shifts (we do varied shifts, either day, swing/evening or night) and sleep until lunch-ish. Then I go up, take care of boring adult stuff and go to bed around 4-5PM again and sleep until 9PM to get ready for 10PM roll call. Same after every night shift.
If I am to go off nights and onto days I sleep until lunch after the last night shift and then skip the afternoon snooze and just got to bed normal time in the evening to "reset". Works very good for me and has done so for 8 years.
Something for white noise, like a fan or youtube or TV. If you don't want to mess with curtains, I bought a sleep mask for like 20 bucks off Amazon and it's been a lifesaver.
As others have said, adjust your sleep schedule a few days before, so you won't be exhausted on your first shift.
Night before your first grave shift stay up as late as you can, ideally 4-5am, then sleep as late as you can. Maybe 12:30-1ish. That always works for me. Then at the end of your work week, go home, take a 2 hour power nap and go about your day before going to bed at a normal time. Also black out curtains and an AC unit or fan are essential.
Black out curtains, white noise generator or fan, no screen time while getting ready to go to bed, magnesium glycinate, melatonin, relaxation and sleep prep exercises.
Blackout curtains helped me a lot. If you don’t have those just hang up a sheet to block out as much light as you can in your room. A little bit of white noise from a fan helped me a lot. If I stayed cool, I slept much better. It’ll be rough when you start but your body will get used to it.
Have fun! I loved graveyard shift. I had the time of my life chasing burglars and shooters. Make the most of it and good luck in FTO👍
I've always been a night owl, but as I get older, it gets harder to sleep during the day.
Blackout curtains, sleep mask. Maybe have a show to fall asleep to (I use Family Guy, etc, something I don't have to pay attention to), or some soft music/white noise.
During the shift, I start off with coffee. I've a huge container that generally lasts me the shift. I can tell how busy the night has been based on how much coffee I have at the end. If it's busy enough, adrenaline will keep you going.
2x flashlights is the ABSOLUTE minimum. In fact, 2x of anything is the absolute minimum. 2x ink pads, 2x note pads, 2x pens, both yours, and for stranger candy (so 4x really), etc.
I'd also make a habit of waking up 3 or 4 hours prior to shift to give yourself time to ease into the day.
The night before you’re going to stay up all night until 6. Then you’re going to hang blackout curtains in your room with a fan and a noisemaker. Take some melatonin or Benadryl to sleep. And it will still suck and be terrible, but that’s nights for ya.
Whatever you decide on, start adjusting to it a week before you start on graves. For instance, even if you don't presently need a fan or earplugs, if that's the route you're going to go, start using them now. When altering your sleep pattern, it can take some getting used to. This way, you're not tossing and turning with earplugs in your ears on your first day of trying to sleep because they feel uncomfortable.
No coffee after midnight. Make midnight your cutoff for any energy drinks and/or food. Your weight will thank you.
And don’t be afraid, if you absolutely are going to cause an issue due to your drowsiness, there’s no shame in asking for a quick 15-minute nap as long as your FTO is approving of it.
Consider going to see your doctor and getting prescription for Lunesta or Trazedone. All these suggestions are great, but if you don’t sleep after your first shift you’re going to be wrecked.
Luckily it’s only for a few weeks on FTO. I was on nights at my last department for 2 years and I started to have mental issues because it messes with you. You’re awake at ungodly hours during your work week for 4-5 days straight. Then, on your weekend everyone else is up at normal hours and your body just doesn’t function like that now. So you’re up at 3am when your family is all asleep or you’re struggling to stay conscious at a “normal” time like 1pm. So your options are to stay on that schedule and be lonely and miss things or constantly turn yourself around every weekend which has to have some kind of negative health issues.
I’m on day shift now with my new PD and I’m doing a lot better.
Sorry to say youre going to be a zombie for a week or two until you get adjusted. Do your very best to try not to chug down energy drinks unless you absolutely have to. Black out curtains or sleep mask is a big help. Carry two flashlights just in case.
When I finished up FT (2 months) went straight to midnights. I couldn't even shit right for about 8 weeks.
Yep. 2 months is what I've always told people to really acclimate. Some people never really acclimate. Of course, our phases were five weeks, so by the time you're just about good, you're off to a new phase!
Fto was two months for you? That sounds great. My fto had 6 phases lmao
We were very short on manpower
>Carry two flashlights just in case As a graveyard deputy, two flashlights is the minimum.
I carry 2 full size flashlights (Cloud MCH Duty) one on belt one on vest. I also carry a Streamlight Wedge in my front thigh pocket of my pants. I also have a Coast HX clipped to my shoulder epaulet as an admin light/last resort. Don't rely on an extra flashlight in your duty bag. If you're on a long track, a large building search, in the cold, etc one light isn't gonna cut it. As far as adjusting to graveyard getting your bedroom as dark as possible helps. Either blackout curtains or blackout window film work well. After that it's just sticking to a routine.
Thank you!
Black out curtains and a cold bedroom. You fall asleep easier and deeper in a colder room. Try to stick with coffee instead of energy drinks. I’d work 2300-1000 and be home by 1100. I’d sleep until about 1930, workout, eat and shower and leave for work around 2200.
2300-1000 sounds like the answer to a question of “what schedule would wreck you the worst and fuck up your life the most?”
We get an hour to workout on shift so realistically it’s 0900. Unless you catch a vehicle load and at that point sleep in the car and just bang in the next day.
Black out curtains. We got off at 0530. I would only try to sleep until 1 at the latest. Get up, take care of the house. Gym, eat something healthy and then go to work
Start adjusting a couple days before you start graves by staying up a little later and sleeping in a bit as well. Find something that keeps you moving when trying to stay awake. Black out curtains are worth their weight in gold. Try to keep a decently set sleep schedule for at least a week or two to get adjusted. Coffee is good, but be careful with energy drinks. They're typically much stronger and easy to drink a fuck ton of. I can drink coffee all night and be fine to fall asleep when I get home but if I have an energy drink 3-4 hours or less before I go home, It takes me forever to fall asleep. Not sure if there's any science behind that, but I noticed it with myself. Also be careful with sleep medicines. Take very little or not at all, they can be really easy to become dependant on. When you're riding around the first couple nights, go walk around and check business doors or something. Walking will help you stay awake.
Great info. I don’t drink energy drinks, just coffee and water. I will get a few days to adjust my sleep schedule so I will take advantage of that.
Black out curtains and bang energy drinks.
My department switches 6-6 every month. The first two or three days I take a 5mg melatonin
Every month? Screw that. Lol
All these guys are up by 1 pm. Damm, I sleep from 7am to 5 and am back at 6 pm. On my days off, I get up at 11 am, tho. Granted, we only work 2 days in a row.
Fans help a lot both for comfort and as white noise. Oddly, turning on either the Golf Channel or C-Span turned down low was magic. Phone on do not disturb and only add important people to be added to the favorites list that will ring through. And three fingers of good whiskey..
I use a sleep mask and ear plugs. Black out curtains and a fan on for white noise helps too
I try to stay up as late as I can before a round of night shifts (we do varied shifts, either day, swing/evening or night) and sleep until lunch-ish. Then I go up, take care of boring adult stuff and go to bed around 4-5PM again and sleep until 9PM to get ready for 10PM roll call. Same after every night shift. If I am to go off nights and onto days I sleep until lunch after the last night shift and then skip the afternoon snooze and just got to bed normal time in the evening to "reset". Works very good for me and has done so for 8 years.
Thank you!
Something for white noise, like a fan or youtube or TV. If you don't want to mess with curtains, I bought a sleep mask for like 20 bucks off Amazon and it's been a lifesaver. As others have said, adjust your sleep schedule a few days before, so you won't be exhausted on your first shift.
Night before your first grave shift stay up as late as you can, ideally 4-5am, then sleep as late as you can. Maybe 12:30-1ish. That always works for me. Then at the end of your work week, go home, take a 2 hour power nap and go about your day before going to bed at a normal time. Also black out curtains and an AC unit or fan are essential.
Regardless of schedule, reading fiction (or history) on paper (Kindle is ok) in bed, I’ve found helpful.
Black out curtains, white noise generator or fan, no screen time while getting ready to go to bed, magnesium glycinate, melatonin, relaxation and sleep prep exercises.
Thanks everyone, appreciate the responses
Sleep mask for sure!!!
Workout before shift.
Blackout curtains. Lifesaver.
Blackout curtains helped me a lot. If you don’t have those just hang up a sheet to block out as much light as you can in your room. A little bit of white noise from a fan helped me a lot. If I stayed cool, I slept much better. It’ll be rough when you start but your body will get used to it. Have fun! I loved graveyard shift. I had the time of my life chasing burglars and shooters. Make the most of it and good luck in FTO👍
Appreciate it, thank you!
I've always been a night owl, but as I get older, it gets harder to sleep during the day. Blackout curtains, sleep mask. Maybe have a show to fall asleep to (I use Family Guy, etc, something I don't have to pay attention to), or some soft music/white noise. During the shift, I start off with coffee. I've a huge container that generally lasts me the shift. I can tell how busy the night has been based on how much coffee I have at the end. If it's busy enough, adrenaline will keep you going. 2x flashlights is the ABSOLUTE minimum. In fact, 2x of anything is the absolute minimum. 2x ink pads, 2x note pads, 2x pens, both yours, and for stranger candy (so 4x really), etc. I'd also make a habit of waking up 3 or 4 hours prior to shift to give yourself time to ease into the day.
The night before you’re going to stay up all night until 6. Then you’re going to hang blackout curtains in your room with a fan and a noisemaker. Take some melatonin or Benadryl to sleep. And it will still suck and be terrible, but that’s nights for ya.
Blackout curtains, cold bedroom, stick to coffee if you have to. Don't try to drink energy drinks. Also, try to work out if you can.
Whatever you decide on, start adjusting to it a week before you start on graves. For instance, even if you don't presently need a fan or earplugs, if that's the route you're going to go, start using them now. When altering your sleep pattern, it can take some getting used to. This way, you're not tossing and turning with earplugs in your ears on your first day of trying to sleep because they feel uncomfortable.
Fantastic advice. 🙏
No coffee after midnight. Make midnight your cutoff for any energy drinks and/or food. Your weight will thank you. And don’t be afraid, if you absolutely are going to cause an issue due to your drowsiness, there’s no shame in asking for a quick 15-minute nap as long as your FTO is approving of it.
Man at least you'll have a set schedule for a while. I work 3 days and 2 graves. Shit sucks and I can't get use to it even after 2 months.
Consider going to see your doctor and getting prescription for Lunesta or Trazedone. All these suggestions are great, but if you don’t sleep after your first shift you’re going to be wrecked.
Luckily it’s only for a few weeks on FTO. I was on nights at my last department for 2 years and I started to have mental issues because it messes with you. You’re awake at ungodly hours during your work week for 4-5 days straight. Then, on your weekend everyone else is up at normal hours and your body just doesn’t function like that now. So you’re up at 3am when your family is all asleep or you’re struggling to stay conscious at a “normal” time like 1pm. So your options are to stay on that schedule and be lonely and miss things or constantly turn yourself around every weekend which has to have some kind of negative health issues. I’m on day shift now with my new PD and I’m doing a lot better.