UKC

How do you arrange your sleeping and eating times?

I am doing some relief care work over the winter as a first responder. So I am answering people's fall alarm buttons. 

I did my first night shift last night, so I went to bed after dinner and managed a couple of hours of sleep. Got through the night ok, aimed to come home and sleep all morning. That plan got a bit scuppered by 2 different trade people turning up, so obviously that is part of my problem. But actually, although I feel tired, I don't really feel sleepy even aside from the noise of workers (neither are being particularly loud mostly. I sleep pretty heavily and that level of noise wouldn't keep me awake normally if it was night). 

Do I just give up and go for a run etc just now and have an early bed tonight? I'm not on night shift again tonight.

Hubby often does 1-off night shifts and yes it's a problem as you don't have the time to get your body into night mode.

Usually goes to bed about 4pm and sleep/doze for a few hours, get up and have a fairly heavy evening meal around 8pm, usually leaving the house around 9.30pm.

Work though the night with no meals but the odd snack and lots of tea, then crawl straight into bed afterwards (anything from 1 to 7am). Set an alarm for noon and even if tired don't sleep past 1pm.

Thick curtains or blackout blinds help, but like you he's a heavy sleeper. Trouble is if he burns through and gets a second wind, so can't sleep - in that case yes getting up doing something and having an early night is the only option.

My five pennies' worth:

I've no experience of shift work per se, but loads of experience of little or no sleep for 24-48 hour periods, and weeks on end of minimal sleep. My work sometimes requires that I be up and around for extended periods.

I too get tired but not sleepy, and usually have a weird kind of extra energy and can be very productive in the wee hours.

Outside of the sleepless 'crunch times' at the beginning/end of each session - up to 48hrs on the go, my sleep pattern settled at 2-3 hours from 05h-08h-ish, and an hour at about 15h. Eight weeks was the longest I did it for. Oddly, the biggest problem was dehydration - often forgot the drink cos busy being busy. Short-term memory seemed to suffer sometimes.

Not very healthy, I'm sure.

From what you said, it's not really shift work cos your no-night's-sleeps are sporadic - for now. So maybe sleep when you find the time, do exercise (I used to run for an hour mid-morning) and stay hydrated !

And if you get onto 'real' shift work, then keep the same pattern as a 'normal' day, and use ear plugs and an eye mask (or blackout curtains) and you should be ok. Two days at either end of the shifts should be enough to get you on track to the desired schedule.

Not first hand , but my partner is a nurse and sometimes works blocks of 7PM-7AM shifts.  Her system is:
Going from days to nights - sleep 12-5:30 PM then start nights at 7
During nights - come home and straight to bed, sleep through day as long as possible
Coming off nights - come home and sleep 8AM - 1PM then get up for the afternoon and go back to normal sleep schedule that night.

Essentials: Comfortable eye mask, ear plugs, night-nurse / sominex / phenergan (promethazine hydrochloride)

Hope that helps.

I used to do four on, four off 12 hour shifts.

First night shift - get up as normal in the morning, do stuff during the day then do the shift (lunch at midnight). Get home, slice of toast and straight to bed.

Then up at 3 or 4 pm, breakfast then to work. Same pattern eating and sleeping for this and subsequent nights.

Last night, go home, maybe a couple of hours cat-nap then resume 'normal' routine.

I work shifts, in theory 7am to 7pm for two day shifts the 7pm to 7 am for two night shifts followed by a  sleep day then three days off. I reality it's usually a bit more random than that due to covering leave/sickness etc. I've been doing it for over 10 years.

My tactic is as follows:

Day before first night shift - try and get up early, good to do something active in the morning. Then try and sleep  between around 2 and 5pm. Have dinner then start my night shift.

While on shift I try and not eat after around 11pm, and try to avoid high sugar snacks, just having cups of tea. However, if you succeed in doing this please tell me how! I usually fail, as overnight your blood sugar level drops and the body craves sugary snacks. If you do find yourself giving, in some healthier alternatives to biscuits and chocolate that I've found are apples and popcorn (I make a rosemary one rather than salt or sugar). I have no caffeine after around 3 or 4am.

Some people really struggle to do a shift without a nap. We get 1 1/2 hours break. However, I find I feel more tired than before after my break if I try and sleep through it. If I do go for a nap I keep it to 30 min max. I read somewhere that this is optimal for napping as longer than this and you're into deep sleep, hence much more groggy when you wake up, but I guess different things work for different people. 

I do my night shifts from home now, which is a lot safer than travelling after a night shift which I think is akin to drink driving given how tired I can be. If you have to travel, especially driving, after a night shift then some caffeine at the end of the shift might be a good idea. Before covid I'd have to do shifts in the office, and for a few years until I moved I would cycle 15 miles in and out for my nights. I found that during that period I had the best sleeps between nights, even having to set an alarm to not oversleep. So I guess some exercise after a night shift would be good if you can face it. However these days after the shift I'll have breakfast then go straight to sleep, sleeping as long as I can.

Tips for sleeping during the day: get blackout blinds, try sleeping in a room not overlooking the road if you can, try and arrange any trades people/calls for the afternoon, phone on silent. You could put a note on the door saying night shift worker please don't ring the bell if you're getting disturbed a lot.

After my last night shift, I normally set an alarm and try to get up by around midday at the latest. That way I'm pretty tired again in the evening so can slot back into more normal sleeping easily enough.

One thing I've found after 10 plus years of this is that I really don't like night shifts! I didn't mind them so much but finding them much harder as I get older (I'm 44). I certainly hope that I won't be doing might shifts until I retire, they really aren't good for you.

I have done years working all night, continuously, month after month. The only problem with that schedule is if the doorbell rings

The huge problem IMO is for people who rotate week by week, one week nights then the next week days. Many people did that and they mostly got messed up. I do not recommend it at all and personally would not do it

Thanks for all the suggestions. 

There will be no regular pattern to any of my shifts, they can be early, late or overnight, and number in the week will vary too. So I am going to have to deal with sporadic night shifts. 

The night shift is 11pm to 7am, so not super long. Yesterday I had dinner at normal time, but a smaller meal and then went straight to bed. I didn't manage to sleep straight away, but I did ok then. My shift was really busy until about 2.30 ish, so I then ate the rest of my dinner from earlier and a satsuma. Fortunately, there is nowhere open overnight here, so no option to eat crap if I didn't take it in. Second half of the shift was slower, so I got more sleepy, but I do think the second dinner I had kept me alert enough for driving. I have to drive to the people's houses when they press the buttons. 

When I finished, I popped to co-op for a croissant for breakfast and then cycled home. I went straight to bed, but it was getting light and didn't really sleep properly. Then the doorbell went for the first trade person to come in.

So after trying to nap and asking on here, I went for a run and had some lunch. I am now feeling sleepy, so I will see if that means Im ready to sleep! I only have an hour though before more trades people will be arriving!

Do you have an electric blanket?  When I'm not especially tired but really need to get some zzz's in the bank for later, something I find really helps me to get off to sleep for an afternoon nap is getting into a bed that's already toasty warm.

Regular nightshift worker here.... about three a month, back to back

It's tricky! After many years of it my routine is now:

- don't try to force sleep before the first one; accept I may be up for 24 hours initially

- get a good amount of exercise in the day before the first one

- that kicks me into good sleep for between the first and second one

- have big meal before bed after the first one

-avoid thinking about a target number of hours sleep

- avoid alcohol!

-accept that the postnights jetlag on coming out of nightshifts is more troublesome than going into nightshifts

- try to go to a normal dayshift 24 hours after finishing nights 

Good luck!

I worked in a hospital laboratory, blood tests/transfusions, for a few decades. Nights got busier and you're the only one in so no respite. On days after nights when I was on the next night, I would go home straight to bed and sleep till I woke. Usually around 15:00. After the last night, I would go to bed, but put an alarm on for 13:00. This would make sure I would sleep through the night and try to get back to normal. Often I'd crash about 20:00 and sleep 12 hrs.

Now for the bad bit. I retired in April, simply couldn't do it. I fell highballing onto mats and fractured L1 badly. I'm doing well, back climbing. But my bone density scan showed osteopenia of the lumbar region. It's possible that numerous nights and all the detrimental effects (heart disease, hormone issues etc) contributed to this. Even the GP was surprised as I'm not a sick person. Now I know I can take supplements. But nights DO have immediate and long term effects. Take care.

Yes, I have heard that nights aren't great for you. I presume some of the issues are going to be due to getting less vitamin D as you are often sleeping during the daylight hours? I have been told it's a good idea to take vit D supplements. 

I know that isn't the only cause of problems, but it is a reasonably easy one to take precautions against. 

Thankfully, this is only fill in work in my quiet period, and the rest of my year is very good for my health. I hope, therefore, that any damage from nights sort of equals out with the rest of the year!

Going to make an assumption here, you're female. Unfortunately, you have a higher risk of osteoporosis cos of yer hormones. I used to find I would get cold about 05:00 when working, likely to be an upset in hormones like cortisol. Yes, Vit D would be good to take, especially in the winter when skin is covered even if you're outdoors. In hindsight I would. Got a good diet?? I happily have dairy(calcium) so again, didn't consider it.

I think you get over nights easier when younger, I really struggled at the end. Driving was plain dangerous. But it's the cumulative effect on health. I do bank work, but will never do a night again even if they offered ££££.

I did blocks it 3 or 4 night shifts followed by going back to normal daytime hours to fit in with caring for young family.  How I worked it was -

The day before starting nights I’d try to have a lie-in if possible (usually fat chance!) then have as restful, quiet day as I could.  My shifts were 2200-0700.  I’d come home, see the kids onto the school bus then straight to bed.  Up around 1500-1530 for them coming home from school and to do any “life” type stuff that needs doing within office hours.

Following my last shift on nights, I’d go to bed as soon as I could on getting home then get up by 1230.  I’d usually then have enough energy to function for the afternoon/early evening then head to bed about 2200.

I'm sure lack of vitamin D doesn't help, so no harm in taking supplements I guess. The diet of many shift workers probably doesn't help either. But there's a lot, and growing amount of research that the disruption to your circadian rhythm loads the dice against you for long term health in a lot of areas.

Unfortunately it seems that the regular swapping between days and nights like I do is just about the worst shift patter for long term health. 

Yes, female. I am super aware of osteoporosis risk. I spend much of my summer guiding hill walking groups, and many are in the late working/ early retirement age group. I have had a couple of women with fractures and I am very aware of how hormones impact bone density. I plan to take HRT as soon as there are signs of perimenopause! I also run a lot, and impact sports help bone density. 

Diet is pretty good, although more chaotic at the moment due to periodically not having access to kitchen due to renovations. Mostly good though. My overnight snacks were satsumas and a venison burger with gnocchi and veg. I am in a no kitchen phase at the moment, so that was what I could conjure up in the air fryer!

These night shifts are super sporadic. I have said I will do occasional nights when they are desperate, but I am really a day responder primarily. I have another booked in at the start of January. 

I figure that parents (which I am not) spend years and years sleep deprived, so a few nights here and there shouldn't kill me...I hope! 😬

Guess who's on nights this week posting at this time....

I'm fine as long as I'm disciplined, especially coming off them.

A good nights sleep the night before the first night is essential, even then most of us accept that we'll feel a bit crappy on the first one. I try and have an afternoon nap before I go in but this isn't too important.  Then breakfast, straight to bed when I get home, up mid afternoon, dinner and repeat for however many 12-hour shifts I'm doing. Coming off the last one I tend to sleep until midday then get up and do something which then resets me for normal bed time.

Sometimes if it's been a wild shift I won't be able to sleep and will stay up but this is a rarity.

Blackout blinds are a big help, especially during summer. If it's particularly bright and sunny then I may take an over the counter Nytol. 

The most important thing is to avoid thinking "Oh no, I haven't slept properly oh no" as this will make you feel worse!

Hey. 
I worked in Air Traffic all my career. Shift work was part and parcel of how the company ran/runs. Normally a 10 day cycle, 2 early shifts 6-2, 2 late shifts 2-10, 2 night shifts 10-6, sleep day and 3 days off.
Some lates/nights were replaced with day relief shifts 7-4/5/or 6. 
This is widely acknowledged to be one of THE worst shift patterns for the human body, ruining normal circadian rhythms and not allowing for readjustment. 
When younger I managed this sort of schedule well, as you do. 
As I got older it began to take more and more of a toll on my physical and mental health, affecting not only me but also my immediate family. 
I spent a very happy few years at Aberdeen airport, basically to avoid night shifts. It used to close at 10pm. A few years back they decided to remain open 24/7 and we all had to go onto nights shifts again. 
I knew I would suffer, and sure enough, within a year or so I was basically living like a zombie, losing my days off in haze of tiredness and grumpy semi existence. After one night shift in November the journey home was a nightmare, battling against the oncoming Aberdeen rush hour, lights in my eyes forcing repeated stops to close them and regroup. 
That was it for me. We used to be able to see a doctor in those days, so my GP wrote me a sick line which I took to management and was relieved from night duty. A flight to Heathrow followed a few days later to see the company doctor who basically said “nights are not for everyone” and signed me off there and then. Hallelujah! 
So instead of a nice easy cushy night shift, but remaining awake, I worked 9 hour day shifts and late shifts, and of course early shifts with the 5am alarm call - and was way happier. 
To this day sleep is a major issue as a result of the shift work, I’m certain of that. I do not function at all well with poor sleep and need peace and dark to get off to sleep. 
Night shifts will see you to an early grave. Thats a fact. 
Best avoided if at all possible. 

Some time ago I was driving home after a particularly busy set of nights and had just got onto a dual carriageway. It was quiet and I was a nodding donkey and after going onto the rumble paint stopped in an empty layby, put the seat back and fell asleep. When I woke there was an artic right in front with lots of words I couldn't read, probably polish. I was completely flummoxed. Didn't know where I was. Traffic was on the left, so guess UK. I pulled out and only after a few miles did I work out from landmarks where I was. It's vaguely funny, but shows brain function was very compromised. 

I did a few years of rotating shift work. It's knackering as you never establish a pattern. You effectively end up jet lagged a lot of the time.

The way I used to do it was to stay up as long as possible the night before, into the early hours then try and sleep until the afternoon. The first night was always the worst. I'd then have a light breakfast and go to sleep on coming home, get up early evening and have dinner before going in. 

Coming off nights I wouldn't go to sleep and just try and stay up until the evening. 

I'd recommend trying to keep the same eating pattern as days. I found it helped when adjusting to days off.

I worked nights in Neonatal Intensive Care for many years. Big mistake! It burns your brain out. There's credible research that show working regular night shifts shortens life. Anecdotally I've seen evidence of this.

If it's that sporadic you shouldn't have a problem. I'm the wrong side of 50 and occasionally work through the night on a call out, normally after a 10 hour shift in the 1st place. My way of dealing with it is if I get back home at say 5am I will change my alarm from 6am to 9am, get a few hours sleep, go to work at 9am, work through to 5pm, eat and be in bed by 7pm and I'm pretty much back to normal when my alarm goes at 6am the next day. 

I wear earplugs to sleep so neighbours going to work don't wake me and in summer when it's light at 4am I wear an eye mask to help me get to sleep. 

Sorry to hijack the thread, but there have been several mentions of eye masks. I was trying to find another one to buy, as I find it helps sleeping in lighter months. I don't want anything fancy, such as silk: Just a plain cotton slightly thicker one will do. Unfortunately most of those put forth on Which magazine's site are only on sale on Amazon, and I do not buy from them.

So any suggestions for an eye mask, please?

I spent several years shift working in the RN. After an all night shift we’d have our breakfast and go to bed.  As simple as that.