Working overnight shifts

Outlaw · 09-26-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betenoire

Does anybody else who works or has worked overnights have any suggestions for me (and for all of the other graveyard shift workers on this site) so that I can cope better?

Yes, Here are a few suggestions...I hope you find them helpful

Sunlight - as much as possible...but at least 30 minutes a day, possibly while walking so that you're getting sun directly and getting some execrcise in as well.

Vitamin D supplements - I take 1,000 IU twice daily, I take the soft gels because they are easier on my stomach, you can also talk to your doctor about a prescription dose if you are Vitamin D deficient, I take of 50,000 IU once weekly.

Bright Light Therapy - I changed all of my regular light bulbs to "Full Spectrum" lightbulbs, you can also buy a light box. You can spend time, (about 30 minutes) during your awake time in front of the light to simulate sun exposure. There is also this very cool device that is an alarm clock that simulates dawn...it tricks you body into thinking it's morning...it's more expensive than the light bulbs and the light box, but trickery can be pricey.

Google - You can also research "shift work sleep disorder" and "shift work sleep disorder" in relation to "seasonal affective disorder"

Medication - There are perscription medications (like provigil/nuvigil) that help keep you more alert during your shift so that you get more quality sleep at the end of your shift and it seems to help folks with irritability and moodiness associated with shift work and disturbed circadian rythms.

Thought Field Therapy - It can help with the saddness and weight gain. It involves using your fingers and "tapping" meridian points on your upper body and hands in prescribed sequences.Roger Callahan and Suzanne Connoly have written extensively about it and provide work-books etc, but you can teach yourself to do it by watching youtube.

SFFemmePrincess · 09-26-2010, 03:04 PM

Outlaw's suggestions were awesome! Especially the sunlight and full spectrum lighting. Also, when you do sleep, make sure you do sleep in the dark. Get an eye mask or something, and make sure its quiet. For me I always made sure I had good music when I was at work, which helped with my mood. And another thing, if possible, it would be better if you could keep your same schedule on your days off so that your body is not in a constant state of change. What I would do so that I still had a social life on the weekends was modify my schedule a bit so that I would stay up till about 2/3 AM and then get up around noon on the weekends, as opposed to sleeping from 8AM to 6PM during the week. I did 3rd shift for two years and it was hard, but those things helped. It has taken me a long time to readjust to normal though. I've been away from that job for about a year, and sometimes I still struggle with insomnia.

Hope that helps....

betenoire · 09-26-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeter_01

One of the things that I loved on midnights was the comrodery..working midnights is like being in a special club!

Lol, none of that here. There is only one staff on nights at a time, so I am completely alone for those 8 hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlaw

Sunlight - as much as possible...but at least 30 minutes a day, possibly while walking so that you're getting sun directly and getting some execrcise in.

I think that is probably a huge part of my problem. I do still get in lots of walking (I don't drive) and I make sure I get in at least of hours worth of wandering a day - but the weather has been shitty lately so there hasn't been much sun. I notice that I'm actually WEEPY on days when the weather sucks, now.

The vitamin D pills I will look in to, since like I said I'm sure it's the lack of sunlight that is killing my soul.

Hopefully some of those suggestions work. I have to decide soon if I want to do full-time nights permanently or not - right now it's just a trial basis for me. I know that I SHOULD go ahead and take the position - because it's full-time and I'm sick to fucking death of being part-time. (it's hard to get a full-time job where I work...I know people who have been waiting for 15 years and are still part time). Just with how I'm feeling right now, it's hard to imagine doing this forever (or, until someone on days or afternoons retires - which won't be for another 5-10 years).

Another thing that I've been doing, to combat the feeling of isolation from my coworkers, is I've been showing up 30 minutes early (they're done their work by then, so I'm not interrupting anything) just to chat about work stuff. I also go to the staff meetings, even though the night staff aren't required to do so - just to keep in the loop. That's helped and I don't feel like I'm not part of the team, which is a feeling I was really worried about getting.

So, really, I guess the biggest thing I need to fix is my new exciting tendency to burst into tears if I can't find the socks that I feel like wearing or I slosh my coffee or insert-thing-that-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-big-deal-here.

How long have you been doing graveyards for, Outlaw?

Gayla · 09-26-2010, 03:26 PM

The vitamin d may help with the weepiness. It's not why I started taking it but I was pleasantly surprised at how much it helped the emotional stuff as well as the physical.

I did graveyards for a number of years and never really had issues. But, I had other people around and my partner at the time worked the same shift so it was very normal for us.

Blackout curtains in the bedroom and changing the voicemail message to say that I would not be answering the phone from xx to xx were the two things that helped the most.

princessbelle · 09-26-2010, 04:03 PM

Bless you cause I understand....

I worked 7p to 7a the first 3 years after I became a nurse and I honestly NEVER got really used to it. Some people adjust and adjust well. I remember this one nurse had worked it for 20 years...wild. But, I tend to agree with your statements. I also gained weight during that time and for me it was because at night in the hospital most of the work was done by midnight and that left the rest of the night for charting and eating!!! Also, working nights it is easy to get on the fast food track cause who has time to plan good dinner menus especially since our dinners are 4:00am.

If you think about it our biological clock tells us that when night comes it is time to lay down and rest. It is of course hard, for the most part, to get our homeostasis in sync. People that work graveyard have a tendency to have higher temperatures than those that don't and lots of things including reduced white cell count and harmone levels and this can add to a degree of depression.

The info that has been givin here on your thread are wonderful!!!! I don't think i can add much more.....I would recommend a complete physical including comprehensive blood work to make sure you are in great shape. It takes lots more energy and work to be on graveyard and takes a lot out on you....be good to yourself...don't foget to nurture yourself, eat right, exercise and laugh as much as possible. Cause, yourself is going through a hard transition and needs all the breaks it can get.

Good luck to you!!!!

AtLast · 09-26-2010, 04:33 PM

I never did well with night shifts or graveyards. Always had them with jobs that got me through college and summers in high school. Even as a young thing, I couldn't do it!

LOL... now that I am old and have the usual insomnia and sleep disturbances that come with age, I probably would be OK with these shifts! But, I'm retired!

Gemme · 09-26-2010, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betenoire

Or 3rd shift, or graveyard shift. Whatever it is that you like to call it.

I've been working straight graveyards for a month now, and while I have had no difficulty adjusting my sleep schedule (I sleep just fine during the day, and I don't find myself tired at work or anything like that) it's been difficult for me in other ways.

I find that I am sad all the time now. I can't put my finger on what I'm sad about - but I am just incredibly bummed out.

I also have started putting on weight, although I am not eating any more / worse than what I had before. My body just seems to be confused in some way and has slowed my metabolism down, I guess?

And on top of that - I am lonely at work. I work in the field that I work in (I work for a pretty big non-profit that does home support for people with physical disabilities) because I wanted to have a job where I would be physically and socially active - but overnights I don't see much of the people that are the reason that I -have- that job to begin with. Mostly night shifts are about paperwork and maintaining the office. I'm only on-site in case someone in the apartment building needs something during the night - which they very rarely seem to do.

Does anybody else who works or has worked overnights have any suggestions for me (and for all of the other graveyard shift workers on this site) so that I can cope better?

Quote:

Originally Posted by betenoire

Lol, none of that here. There is only one staff on nights at a time, so I am completely alone for those 8 hours.

I think that is probably a huge part of my problem. I do still get in lots of walking (I don't drive) and I make sure I get in at least of hours worth of wandering a day - but the weather has been shitty lately so there hasn't been much sun. I notice that I'm actually WEEPY on days when the weather sucks, now.

The vitamin D pills I will look in to, since like I said I'm sure it's the lack of sunlight that is killing my soul.

Hopefully some of those suggestions work. I have to decide soon if I want to do full-time nights permanently or not - right now it's just a trial basis for me. I know that I SHOULD go ahead and take the position - because it's full-time and I'm sick to fucking death of being part-time. (it's hard to get a full-time job where I work...I know people who have been waiting for 15 years and are still part time). Just with how I'm feeling right now, it's hard to imagine doing this forever (or, until someone on days or afternoons retires - which won't be for another 5-10 years).

Another thing that I've been doing, to combat the feeling of isolation from my coworkers, is I've been showing up 30 minutes early (they're done their work by then, so I'm not interrupting anything) just to chat about work stuff. I also go to the staff meetings, even though the night staff aren't required to do so - just to keep in the loop. That's helped and I don't feel like I'm not part of the team, which is a feeling I was really worried about getting.

So, really, I guess the biggest thing I need to fix is my new exciting tendency to burst into tears if I can't find the socks that I feel like wearing or I slosh my coffee or insert-thing-that-is-not-supposed-to-be-a-big-deal-here.

How long have you been doing graveyards for, Outlaw?

I worked graveyards for a couple of years. As mentioned, it's hard on the body. It disrupts the body's natural arcadian rhythm, which throws all kinds of things out of whack too. You have gained weight because of rising cortisol levels. Even if you eat exactly the same things and do the exact same amount of exercise, chances are that you will still gain some weight. The lack of human interaction messes with you too.

I find that I get more emotional and depressed during the winter months...I have Seasonal Affective Disorder....and I found that I still felt low during summer months when I worked the graveyards. Apparently, not only do I have S.A.D., but I had reverse S.A.D.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/13/he...ummer-sun.html

Fuck me with an ice pick. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

Out-can't offend anyone if I tried-law had some excellent points and suggestions. I don't know if I have anything to offer that's different, but I can definitely empathize with you. It sucks like Hoover on acid.

Blade · 09-26-2010, 04:44 PM

My best friend in college, her Dad worked a swing shift and that included 3rd shift. He said he felt one of the things that kept him from gaining weight was he always kept the same eating schedule. He at breakfast in the am, a sandwich or whatever for lunch at lunch time, be he at work or home, midday was lunch time and supper in the evenings. He said he didn't eat during the night on 3rds cuz he wouldn't be eating at 2 am if he was home. That made pretty good sense to me.

I agree with some of the others about keeping to your schedule on the days you are off work.

When I worked 2nd shift it was a 4:30pm to 1am job so I had all day to mess with my animals and garden or whatever. I'm very much an outside person. When I went to 1st shift, it was January and I was going to work in the dark and by the time I got home it was dark. It about drove me nuts. I finally asked my manager to please put me back to doing something outside, I didn't care if it was picking up cigarette butts, just please find me something to do outside. I think night shifters are a different breed, a special breed of their own, cuz not everyone can do it.

Sachita · 09-26-2010, 05:06 PM

I was having a hard time in winter when there are less daylight hours and not going outside as much. I would get depressed and low energy. I bought one of those seasonal lights you sit in front of. I do it every winter now while online for an hour a day and it worked great for me. I think I paid about 100 bucks for mine and it was really worth it.

Rockinonahigh · 09-26-2010, 07:10 PM

I worked 11-7 for years,I would get off work and go home get my kids off to school (we lived at my moms so I could work without worrying about child care at that hour or at all) I fed my horse on the way home,got the kids to school.Then I naped till noon then went to ride and care for the horse so I got back home right before the kids got home at 3:45pm,we did home work.But then dinner was done so I ate wich was the time my mom got home then I creahed till 10pm got up and did it alllll over again.I was hard but I did it,I was only 23 at the time,not too shure I would even atempt it now.I had a person bordeing her horse at my place so she fed mine when she fed hers at night.

09-26-2010, 04:03 PM	#5
princessbelle Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: femme Preferred Pronoun?: femme ones Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,100 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 29,380 Thanked 30,496 Times in 5,198 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	Bless you cause I understand.... I worked 7p to 7a the first 3 years after I became a nurse and I honestly NEVER got really used to it. Some people adjust and adjust well. I remember this one nurse had worked it for 20 years...wild. But, I tend to agree with your statements. I also gained weight during that time and for me it was because at night in the hospital most of the work was done by midnight and that left the rest of the night for charting and eating!!! Also, working nights it is easy to get on the fast food track cause who has time to plan good dinner menus especially since our dinners are 4:00am. If you think about it our biological clock tells us that when night comes it is time to lay down and rest. It is of course hard, for the most part, to get our homeostasis in sync. People that work graveyard have a tendency to have higher temperatures than those that don't and lots of things including reduced white cell count and harmone levels and this can add to a degree of depression. The info that has been givin here on your thread are wonderful!!!! I don't think i can add much more.....I would recommend a complete physical including comprehensive blood work to make sure you are in great shape. It takes lots more energy and work to be on graveyard and takes a lot out on you....be good to yourself...don't foget to nurture yourself, eat right, exercise and laugh as much as possible. Cause, yourself is going through a hard transition and needs all the breaks it can get. Good luck to you!!!! __________________ ~ I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ~ Maya Angelou

09-26-2010, 04:44 PM	#8
Blade Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: TG Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: once in a while someone amazing comes along...and here I am! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Down on the farm Posts: 5,501 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,855 Thanked 14,413 Times in 4,058 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	My best friend in college, her Dad worked a swing shift and that included 3rd shift. He said he felt one of the things that kept him from gaining weight was he always kept the same eating schedule. He at breakfast in the am, a sandwich or whatever for lunch at lunch time, be he at work or home, midday was lunch time and supper in the evenings. He said he didn't eat during the night on 3rds cuz he wouldn't be eating at 2 am if he was home. That made pretty good sense to me. I agree with some of the others about keeping to your schedule on the days you are off work. When I worked 2nd shift it was a 4:30pm to 1am job so I had all day to mess with my animals and garden or whatever. I'm very much an outside person. When I went to 1st shift, it was January and I was going to work in the dark and by the time I got home it was dark. It about drove me nuts. I finally asked my manager to please put me back to doing something outside, I didn't care if it was picking up cigarette butts, just please find me something to do outside. I think night shifters are a different breed, a special breed of their own, cuz not everyone can do it. __________________ Yeah so what if I'm triple dipped in awesome sauce? The best way to predict the future, is to create it.

09-26-2010, 05:06 PM	#9
Sachita Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Alpha Femme Preferred Pronoun?: Goddess Relationship Status: Completely in love Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Southern Virginia Posts: 3,225 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,564 Thanked 8,992 Times in 2,247 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	I was having a hard time in winter when there are less daylight hours and not going outside as much. I would get depressed and low energy. I bought one of those seasonal lights you sit in front of. I do it every winter now while online for an hour a day and it worked great for me. I think I paid about 100 bucks for mine and it was really worth it. __________________ You either like me or you don't. It took me Twenty-something years to learn how to love myself, I don't have that kinda time to convince somebody else. ~ Daniel Franzese

09-26-2010, 03:04 PM	#2
SFFemmePrincess Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Lesbian Princess Preferred Pronoun?: Female Pronouns Relationship Status: Single but also non negotiably non monogamous Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bay Area Gal! Posts: 142 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47 Thanked 270 Times in 77 Posts Rep Power: 687706	Outlaw's suggestions were awesome! Especially the sunlight and full spectrum lighting. Also, when you do sleep, make sure you do sleep in the dark. Get an eye mask or something, and make sure its quiet. For me I always made sure I had good music when I was at work, which helped with my mood. And another thing, if possible, it would be better if you could keep your same schedule on your days off so that your body is not in a constant state of change. What I would do so that I still had a social life on the weekends was modify my schedule a bit so that I would stay up till about 2/3 AM and then get up around noon on the weekends, as opposed to sleeping from 8AM to 6PM during the week. I did 3rd shift for two years and it was hard, but those things helped. It has taken me a long time to readjust to normal though. I've been away from that job for about a year, and sometimes I still struggle with insomnia. Hope that helps....

09-26-2010, 03:26 PM	#4
Gayla Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Kinky Butch Top Preferred Pronoun?: I'm not picky Relationship Status: She makes me dance like a fool and forget how to breathe. Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SF CA Posts: 3,229 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 877 Thanked 7,077 Times in 1,966 Posts Rep Power: 0	The vitamin d may help with the weepiness. It's not why I started taking it but I was pleasantly surprised at how much it helped the emotional stuff as well as the physical. I did graveyards for a number of years and never really had issues. But, I had other people around and my partner at the time worked the same shift so it was very normal for us. Blackout curtains in the bedroom and changing the voicemail message to say that I would not be answering the phone from xx to xx were the two things that helped the most.

09-26-2010, 04:33 PM	#6
AtLast Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Woman Preferred Pronoun?: HER - SHE Relationship Status: Relating Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: CA & AZ I'm a Snowbird Posts: 5,408 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 11,826 Thanked 10,827 Times in 3,199 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	I never did well with night shifts or graveyards. Always had them with jobs that got me through college and summers in high school. Even as a young thing, I couldn't do it! LOL... now that I am old and have the usual insomnia and sleep disturbances that come with age, I probably would be OK with these shifts! But, I'm retired!

09-26-2010, 07:10 PM	#10
Rockinonahigh Senior Member How Do You Identify?: stone butch Preferred Pronoun?: makes no diffrence,I know who I am. Relationship Status: single,maybe looking if the right person comes along. Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: shreveport,Louisiana Posts: 4,907 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,682 Thanked 14,933 Times in 3,938 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	I worked 11-7 for years,I would get off work and go home get my kids off to school (we lived at my moms so I could work without worrying about child care at that hour or at all) I fed my horse on the way home,got the kids to school.Then I naped till noon then went to ride and care for the horse so I got back home right before the kids got home at 3:45pm,we did home work.But then dinner was done so I ate wich was the time my mom got home then I creahed till 10pm got up and did it alllll over again.I was hard but I did it,I was only 23 at the time,not too shure I would even atempt it now.I had a person bordeing her horse at my place so she fed mine when she fed hers at night.