Surviving the Night Shift?

Well, in the 1970s, I worked rotating shifts. Every third week, it was graveyard. I had not the ability to remain awake and sharp all night long. Compounding the probelm, was unable to rest by day. Constantly in trouble for mistakes. I did the only sensible thing, and found other, daytime, work. Lots of luck to those who can handle it.

I am a creature of the night.

The night shift isn't the problem, it is the revolving shifts between day and night that is the difficulty. That's a lot to ask your body to adjust to. It takes more than a week for your body to recover from the abrupt change. For an example of this, just think how long it takes for you to adjust everytime we adjust clocks for daylight savings time.

It is also a difficult disruption to your family life. If you have kids, it is ridiculous to expect them to understand that they have to be quiet one week a month because daddy is sleeping.

You and your employers would see a much better productivity curve if the shifts were cycled on a monthly or quarterly basis rather than having one week of night shifts every month. Absenteeism would also probably improve.

Re: Surviving the Night Shift?


I just started a new job that was suppose to be second shift. I asked about third shift then changed my mind because... well... it's kinda boring. My boss decided to put me on night shift for a week just to let me try it out. Tonight will be my second night. So, now she's changed the schedule... Saturday and Sunday nights I work 12-8 then Tue, Wed, Thur I'll work 3-11. *Sigh*... A little of both.

I like night shift because it's quiet. The kids tend to be pretty hyper in the evenings and sometimes like to cause a lot of ruckus. However, working nights they are sleeping so... no ruckus. In the morning when we wake them up they are too tired to do much of anything but eat and do their chores... then it's time to go home. LOL

Another thing I like about third shift is that I like being awake when the sun comes up. I don't mind sleeping during the day at all. I worked third shift a year or so ago and the best way I found to stay awake is to stay busy and keep a regular sleeping pattern.

In the early 80's I worked for an answering service answering 700 phone lines including doctors and psychiatric offices. Some of the nut jobs that called in at 3AM were amazing.

I agree with Butryflynet that it's the shift changing that does you in. If you work night shift all the time - well, whatever shift, all the time, your body usually adjusts.

night shift
it like anything else has good and bad. if you are at all able to use your day time to starting your own business to become financial free from the rat race please give it a shot.This is from someone who has worked nights for some twenty years and recently pass some of my day time doing lots of research (it gets harder as the years roll by.It was fine when I was younger and could hang out all day and still say awake all night) It is also not the best shift for having a real life. Boy if i knew then what i know now Things that you can do learn---- how to prepare taxes, real estate school these are examples that do not take long and are not very expensive. I am very sure that other people can suggest other things.

I work wacky hours, which sometimes means graveyard. The hardest thing definetly is the interruption of a regular sleep cycle!

I need sunshine, so getting home and going to bed asap is not an option for me. I'd be depressed within a short time.

I like graveyard because I don't have to deal with nearly as much people-problems during that time. I can regulate my own workload as I like, do a lot fast and then have spare time to do as I wish. That is going to be great as I will be needing studying time.

I like that I have worked all of the available shifts, know all the duties, I have learned a lot. I get *more* lee-way in taking off hours, making decisions because I have worked when nobody else wanted to. It's a trade.

All that said....I'm starting to feel near the end of my rope with wacky shifts. It's not like when I was 20 and could go out drinking, go to work, miss sleep and be fine. Now I feel it. I need some regularity.

On the other hand, I would go insane working a 9-5 er in an office/corporate setting, so I can't complain too much. All in all it has been worth it so far.

Never worked the graveyard, but have worked the 3-11.

I really liked it.

I liked driving home when the rest of the world what pretty well shut down.
I'd go to bed by 1ish and didn't have to worry about setting an alarm because I didn't have to get up and go straight to work.

I also like being able to get other personal business done during the day.

I work the 3-11 shift alot too! It is Great, if only all my shifts were 3-11! Ohwell, win some you lose some!

Great Replies!!!!

Way back, long ago, sometime during the late 20th century I used to work the graveyard shift. Sunday evening til Friday morning. It was f*cking AWESOME!

Okay, the first month or so sucked while I was getting used to it, but after that, it was the BEST. Why, you ask? Two words. HAPPY HOUR.

I'd get out of work on friday morning, go to sleep, wake up around 4:00, and go right to happy hour with my friends. Every weekend I dragged my friends, drunk and disorderly, into the wee hours of the night. I was the KING OF THE NIGHT! The party never ended when I was doing that shift. Wow, what a great time.

Of course, I am a professional. Your results may vary.

That has a certain ring to it....


Kickycan....King of the Night......

Well, I recently decided to go down to part time hours. I now work 2 shifts per week. 8 per month. 6 of them are night shifts, the other 2 are days. I kinda like it cause now I don't have to deal with all the day time drama and still get the same hourly pay. Everything is fine that way, except now, we have a staff meeting every second week that starts at noon. So now i'm expected to work my night shift(i get off at 9) then come back at noon for some stupid meeting where most time everyone sits around and talks about their personal lives, and then come back again for midnight the same day. Does this sound right to you, or am I just being a baby?

sorry, but you're being a baby.

Being up for 26 hours, then getting 5 hours of sleep, then going back on nights. I am a baby!!! Hehe

well, why'd you ask if you didn't want an answer?

LOL...I'm cool with the answer. Basically I was just bored and tired last night so I thought i'd jabber on the boards and complain a lil bit! I'm sure it varies from person to person just like everything else. Thanks for replying.