How To Survive Night Shifts

About Me:
Name: Jake Goodman
Degree: MD, MBA, PGY1 Psychiatry Resident

DISCLAIMERS:
- Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.
- My content is for educational and marketing purposes and should not be used in place of therapy or treatment

[lablab]

as a night shifter, I would say don't be too hard on yourself the 1st nights . you will be sleepy, maybe feel nauseous. don't forget to drink water . eat a light lunch around 3, your breakfast 1 hour before bed and dinner when you wake up

[AllSeeingOmni]

As a night shifter, blackout curtains are especially good. They block out a little noise while also making the room you are in dark so you can sleep easier.

[StudentNurseMomFiance]

I’m 30… wife.. & mom to a toddler. Just started my career as a nurse and I’m put on night shifts. I’m excited yet nervous for this new adventure. Thank you for the tips !

[calebb]

Been doing it for almost two years it really isn't worth it and its mentally draining

[ankittupe]

Fuck tips no matter what the sleep at night has no substitute. Night shift had ruined everything

[krysd]

I've always preferred late/night shifts. My family didn't understand this and would make me switch my internal clock for the few days I visited them and I got sick every single time I visited. They didn't get that 8-10 am was went I went to sleep normally and it wasn't a "lazy" thing. I think it finally clicked when my normal shifts were either 11p-8am or 9pm- 7a.

[brandonbrinegar]

He pointed out a very important tip. Put your phone on do not disturb setting. It prevents a lot of stupid/robo/telemarketing phone calls from waking you up in the middle of the day.

[solala]

as a night shifter from a different field of work: try to get out of the house before you for work. usually the busy environment, some sun (if summer) and a little walking got my body going! it helped a lot to take a little walk before work, so I would not feel as groggy starting the shift. stay safe y'all!

[lccw]

Taking caffeine from the start of your shift will only result in crashing after a few hours due to adenosine so unless sleep deprived before shift try not to take and take only when feeling sleepy or tired

[sayu]

I want to quit. I'm exhausted ....I'm constantly feeling anxious and my entire body was shaking and I ended up throwing up

[noexcuses]

I do all around shifts mornings, evenings and nights.

It's all bout the mindset.

[marksimmons]

My poor sister in law has been doing night shifts in med/surg while dealing with my two year old nephew. I pray she can adjust

[suzettesanborn]

As a former healthcare worker I spent the majority of my 20yrs on nightshift. I haven't worked in healthcare since 2010, and I still function better during the night then I do during the day.

[thechronicphilosopher]

I started working nightshift at this casino im at from 10pm - 6am i had a emotional breakdown first night was only there for 3 hours. Its hard for me to hear because its so loud and my coworkers have accents. Some of them are very assertive with their work but i dont know anything about being a busser, its new for me. I had a good christmas so wish me luck

[ghqebvful]

As someone that now works nights but has always preferred to be active at night rather than the day. My problem with the schedule has practically nothing to do with me being sleepy at work it was surprisingly easy to flip my schedule, but my problem is I almost never have good time to spend with friends since they are all day workers.

[GloriaSol]

I did a NOC shift this past Sunday, it’s now Tuesday and my body still feels it.

[barbaraness]

I worked over 15 years on almost all nights. It was easier for me than days because I’d never been able to sleep nights, and that’s basically since I was around 10or 11 years old.

[marlabrunker]

My suggestion for working nights: Stop drinking coffee habitually. Save it for when you really need it.

[BobBobOnYouTube]

Ear plugs are a must. I'm speaking from experience. Especially when you have asshole neighbors like mine who leave their barking dogs in the yard all day.

[kipper]

Im a night 'walker' too but in a different field. I've been doing it for almost 11 years now. Here are my absolutely must have, my room has to be as dark as possible. I have a fan for 'white noise' to drown out any other noises. it's also very soothing to me. I keep my room as cool as possible. It's been shown that people sleep better in cooler temperatures.
Take vitamin D. I've had blood work done, and my doctor said my vitamin D was extremely low. Which makes plenty of sense. Good luck. I didn't struggle too much when i started. I saw someone made a comment about it being a mindset. I couldn't agree more.
Embrace the night shift!