paulr

Who else works nightshifts?.....basically i work 2 twelve hour nights (6pm-6am) every eight days,and boy does it take it out of you.I can never sleep properly during the day and end up feeling like **** for a day or two.I get about 4 hours sleep between shifts,but its poor quality sleep.Sometimes i think about the health factor,it cant do you any good.

Any other opinions /experience or advice. welcome,especially on how to make up for lost sleep.
Thanks

Paul.

MichelleWRX1994

I work night shift, but I also do twelve hour days shifts in a rotating, seven on, seven off pattern.

Here is an article I found on digestion and night shift.

Night shift and digestion

A lot of research has been done about the effects of working night shift. I have to admit I was happier doing a full time night shift than the muppet swaps we have to do now

I am still looking through some web pages, so bear with me

MichelleWRX1994

Article on Night shift and sleep

MichelleWRX1994

Survival Tips for Night Shift

Watch out though this site has a dodgy tune with it. Elevator music at its worst LOL

MichelleWRX1994

How To Sleep Better When Working Night Shift

Hope all of this helps.

Usually by the time I have worked a twelve hour night shift and driven the half hour journey home I am shattered, if not I muppet on the net till I am drowsy then sleep till I have to get up.

The only difference in my routine is when I have to get up for something, then I either sleep straight away and get up esrly, napping later on if I have a chance or skipping sleep (not advised)

Cheers,

Michelle.

MichelleWRX1994

Sleep Channel.com - this is an interesting site to look at

P1Fanatic

I work nights - 12hr shifts 4 days on 4 off 3 pattern rotation. The key to surviving is getting in the same amount of sleep you would for a normal day shift i.e. you sleep for 7 hours normally then make sure you get 7 when on nights. On the following morning to your last shift only sleep 2-3 hours then get up and it will be easy to get back into your normal sleeping pattern that evening.

Are these the only two shifts you work in 8 days or are some of the others day shifts?

Simon.

paulr

Thanks Michelle......i'll save some of these and have a look through them later,....for me its the sleep that does me.
I do 2x12 hour days,then 2x12 hour nights,all 6-6.Then i get 4 days off,but always do overtime........there's just no routine.If we pushed it we might have a choice of doing 4xnights,then 4x days,maybe that would be better?.

Anyway,once again thanks
Paul

MichelleWRX1994

4 nights and 4 days would be a preferable choice aye

Mufasa

I do 2 days 2 nights 4 off, been doing this for 4 years now.
I have to say it does seem to suit me. I have always been crap at getting up in the morning! The best sleep I get is after my 1st nightshift, get home head hits pillow out for 10 hours min. (unless my lifeboat pager goes off!).

I always make a point of staying up late after my 2nd dayshift and sleep in to well past lunchtime on the day of my 1st nightshift.

Upside is very rarely have to do battle getting stuff done on a Saturday morning. i.e. time off during the week.

Downside is I sometimes have a problem getting out of nightshift mode. If I don't get up at around lunch time on my 1st day off I'm awake all night again.

The worst bit about it all (and this pisses my off enough to think seriously about going 9-5 again) is I only get 2 weekends off every 8. So very little time to go on proper ****-ups with mates....

I'm at work now

paulr

P1...i dont know about you but its the quality of sleep that does it,however long i sleep in the day,its just not as deep as normal sleep.In the end its your job,so you have to get on with it,...or get another job?

I know recently i've started turning down a lot of overtime if its night shift.

Paul

P1Fanatic

Hmm fair point but I must say I have no issues sleeping when I get in off nights - head hits the pillow and its good night god bless. I do work 8pm-8am which may make a difference. Worst thing is if I try and sleep at work as it makes the last few hours intolerable. My dads works for GCHQ and he takes his own camp bed and sleeping bed in for an 8hr night shift LOL!

Agree with Mufasa - could not go back to Mon-Fri 9-5. Enjoy my 4 days off, quiet shopping, cheap cinema, cheaper week membership to Golf Courses, Water Skiing Club etc. And it makes your holiday allowance go so much further. For 12 days holiday this August I get the whole month off - cant beat that

MichelleWRX1994

Mufasa, I find that....I hate getting up at half past four in the morning to get to work for 6am [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

I much prefer night shift, unfortunately I also tend to stay in night shift mode for my days off

MichelleWRX1994

I doubt I could do 9-5, I would at a push, but having a week off every two weeks is great....
Also, booking 7 days off means I get three weeks holiday

Mufasa

The holiday thing is cool.
Take 4 days holiday get 12! But we do only get 20 a year [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]
I work 8 till 8 so never have to get up before 6:30.

paulr

Gotta say i agree with most of the last 5 posts.

The time off is great,especially during the week.You can get so much more done.Going into town on a Saturday is something i can avoid.Also holidays,like you all say 4 off gives you 12 etc,thats the best bit.
Mufasa,like you say,the weekend thing is a pain.I'm sure like me any spare holidays are taken sat/sun night.

One of my problems is i'm naturally an early riser(no funny comments)so after 2 days getting up at 5am,i tend to get up around 7am before my first night,ends up a very long day.
Maybe this is something i should look at,maybe get a bit of kip in the afternoon,before my fist night?.......

paulr

I get 20 holiday days too,and nothing extra for the jubilee thingy

P1Fanatic

Yep - always get ur head down for a few hours before starting ur first night shift - does wonders.

MichelleWRX1994

Ah, we have 21 standard with 8 in leui of bank holidays as we have to work them if rota'd on.

P1Fanatic

Me old man gets 28 plus bank holidays even though he works shifts. Who says govt workers get it tough

paulr

Do any of you do overtime?

P1Fanatic

On the odd occasion when it double time and as much pizza as u can eat Deffo if they offer treble time but has been a while alas. Only normally 6 hour slots on days. Never nights.

Mufasa

I do when I can, especially if it's tagging on extra nights.
But it's only ever for time Though I think we got time & 1/2 for Christmas day

MichelleWRX1994

I do overtime yep.

Tis nasy when you do about 5 days overtime as it means you work 12 days on the trot, have a couple of days off, then back in for your standard 7.

Deep Singh

I've been working a mixture of patterns over the years including 48hr shifts with just the next day off and a run of ten 12hr days 7 nights and then 10 days off.It plays bloody havoc with all aspects of your life.I did'nt read Michelles links but I'm sure they explained the metabolic upset it causes to your body and the shortened lifespan(I've been told but not read the data).This is probably why I'm such a bad tempered tosser who spends more then he can afford on his car to compensate.

P1Fanatic

You gotta be mad to do 48hr shifts - either that or an insomniac.

Deep Singh

Not from choice matey but thanks to our NHS

PG

Try working as a Firefighter in a quiet station !

you get to sleep on your 14 hour nightshift

2 days 2 nights 4 off. inc public hols 216 days off this year

MichelleWRX1994

You are a fireman???

Can I have a piccy please?? Do you drive a scooby?

P1Fanatic

Id wanna sleep on 14hr shifts where I may have to chase around in a fire engine putting out fires. Leave me to my leather reclining chair and pizza.