Anybody here know anything or been diagnosed with this? I'm curious. I work nights and it seems like I'm unable to get a solid 6-7 hours of sleep ever. I will wake up multiple times a day. Anybody have any tips for getting solid sleep, or, in this case, are drugs the answer?
It's just part of it dude. I've worked 2nd shift and nights for about 13 years. I love 2nd, no waking up to an alarm clock, can stay up late without having to worry about being able to get and make it to work, off early enough to go out if you want etc. Sucks for family life though, 3rd/nights is better for that.
I can tell you this, I went to days in Feburary and it's been rough. It's so much harder for me to get enough sleep now.
I can tell you this, I went to days in Feburary and it's been rough. It's so much harder for me to get enough sleep now.
I have worked nights for 8 years now. It is more my natural sleep pattern. That being said. I have learned a couple of things about sleeping..I try to stay on my night schedule as long as possible. I dont "flip" unless I have a lot of time off. I try to get home and get to sleep before it gets too light. I sleep when I can as long as I can. I have stayed up for a night and a day and then slept 14 hours straight. I ask people not to talk about it. If I am staying up. I am fine unless people start asking me if i am sleepy. Try to get some blinds and drapes. Finally try 5mg Melatonin. It is great makes you sleepy and you will get good sleep but wont feel groggy. Like other sleep aids.
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I worked a rotating shift for almost 14 years - 7 days on eves, next 7 on graveyard, next 7 on days.
The only good solution I found was changing jobs. Never could sleep during the day.
The only good solution I found was changing jobs. Never could sleep during the day.
As above, but additionally, when you get home, go right to bed. Don't do other stuff first. Just hit the sack,
When I worked shift work, I was blessed with the ability to sleep any time, anywhere, and the joke was, with about anybody.
About that last, if your partner isn't too put off, best time is after you wake up (kids gone to school!), or at least it was for me.
I used to know literally hundreds of air traffic controllers, and many of them worked a 2-2-1. This was two day shifts, two evening shifts and one graveyard. One told me that as he was leaving the parking lot after a graveyard, he met a car like his, and saw himself in it. I think he was joking, but he made his point.
When I worked shift work, I was blessed with the ability to sleep any time, anywhere, and the joke was, with about anybody.
About that last, if your partner isn't too put off, best time is after you wake up (kids gone to school!), or at least it was for me.
I used to know literally hundreds of air traffic controllers, and many of them worked a 2-2-1. This was two day shifts, two evening shifts and one graveyard. One told me that as he was leaving the parking lot after a graveyard, he met a car like his, and saw himself in it. I think he was joking, but he made his point.
GC's worked every rotating schedule there is out there ... Right now he does nights for 12 hours, 3 nights a week, 4 nights off and those shifts rotate with the a similarly scheduled day shift, every quarter. Additionally the 3 days work rotate between F/S/S, S/S/M, and T/W/Th. It is a friggin' nightmare to keep up with, but ... the clock is ticking ... 
He was on the night shift, 8 hour shifts, 5 on/2 off for about 3 years before that. He never did adjust and he hated it. I hated it, too. He was always irritable, always tired, always falling asleep, even on his days off and always sick. Additionally he had a HORRIBLE time controlling his blood sugar and his blood pressure was higher when he worked nights. There was nothing good about it. If we'd had kids at home, or any kind of steady commitments for things like social events, we'd have been screwed.
GC's doctor did, indeed, diagnose him with Shift Work Disorder. Because he was unable to move to the day shift at the time, she prescribed him additional medication to lower his blood sugar and blood pressure and gave him an Rx for Ambien. The ONLY time he has to take Ambien is when he is working the night shift and even then he still doesn't sleep more than 5 or 6 hours at a time, until he just crashes from exhaustion and then he will sleep 12-16 hours straight.
She offered to write him a note for work but he declined, telling her he couldn't move right now but he would as soon as an opening came up (and he did). I'll be so glad when he retires ...
He was on the night shift, 8 hour shifts, 5 on/2 off for about 3 years before that. He never did adjust and he hated it. I hated it, too. He was always irritable, always tired, always falling asleep, even on his days off and always sick. Additionally he had a HORRIBLE time controlling his blood sugar and his blood pressure was higher when he worked nights. There was nothing good about it. If we'd had kids at home, or any kind of steady commitments for things like social events, we'd have been screwed.
GC's doctor did, indeed, diagnose him with Shift Work Disorder. Because he was unable to move to the day shift at the time, she prescribed him additional medication to lower his blood sugar and blood pressure and gave him an Rx for Ambien. The ONLY time he has to take Ambien is when he is working the night shift and even then he still doesn't sleep more than 5 or 6 hours at a time, until he just crashes from exhaustion and then he will sleep 12-16 hours straight.
She offered to write him a note for work but he declined, telling her he couldn't move right now but he would as soon as an opening came up (and he did). I'll be so glad when he retires ...
Excercise, dude. It works wonders.
Sent from my meh, using my meh.
Sent from my meh, using my meh.
Nothing GC tired worked ... and I mean NOTHING ... not exercise, not "entertainment" before bed 
, not eating carbs, not even the Ambien really ... It's really hard on some folks, I guess. It was sure rough on poor old GC ... 
, not eating carbs, not even the Ambien really ... It's really hard on some folks, I guess. It was sure rough on poor old GC ... 
