Working overnight shifts

[Gemme]

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?

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.