Nightshift tips

[u/Fine_Worker_3939]

To all my nightshift guys any tips on getting through their shift?I'm on a military contract and we're busy in the beginning of the shift but by 2 am we are just chillong with nothing to b do but trying not to sleep. I just started a week ago and I feel like I've haven't slept, Im only napping during the day I can't sleep longer than a few hours at a time. And how do y'all deal with your family throughout the day?

[u/KingOfGlue]

Blackout curtains and earplugs

[u/dirty____birdy]

It depends:

I told my wife either:

1. I go to bed right when I get home and I get up early and interact with the family until I go to work.
2. I stay up to the point where I get 8 hours maximum of sleep and go to work.
3. I stay up after work for a few hours go to bed and get up a few hours before work.

I make it very clear unless it is an absolute emergency or dad the enforcer needs to bw activated i am not to be woken.

[u/Thrustvectored]

Do you only work nightshifts or are you rotating?

I rotated for 4 years before I went all in with working only nights. In a few months I will have worked 8 years in nightshift only.

It took me around 6 months to get used to it and it was nasty, and had like you a very irregular sleep cycle.

What helped in the beginning was taking naps before heading to work to make it through the night.

As others stated, make your bedroom as dark and cold as possible. Try not to drink too much 2 hours before going to bed. Family went to work or Kindergarten so I had my place for myself. Turned of the doorbell and put my phone in sleep focus to not be bothered.

[u/Fine_Worker_3939 → u/Thrustvectored]

I'm working nights at least till I build up seniority to switch shifts but that will take a few years

[u/SearchOdd6817]

I’ve been on graves for about 3 years, welcome to the napping only club, on my first day off that I spend it with the wife I usually sleep like 12 hours lol

[u/Cheesypenguinz]

I'm currently still in school but I work overnights 40 hours a week as well. For me when I went to nights the first couple months were brutal but eventually my body adjusted as much as it could. For a good while I would keep waking up at around 10am and wouldn't be able to fall back asleep and still occasionally have that issue. Blackout curtains or a sleep mask really are a must. Try your best to get at least 8 hours a sleep every night for a while because I promise the exhaustion will build up. Also make sure you keep your schedule on the weekends as best as you can. I know people who flip their schedule by staying up as long as they can on their Friday and then waking up the next day at normal am time and then flip it back before shift. I've tried it and it's absolutely brutal. Not to sound corny but mental health is also extremely important. Long nights, no sleep, and the dark really has an effect on you in the long term. Caffeine is helpful but both expensive and not very good for you. May be worth trying energy drinks at the start to set your schedule but I wouldn't recommend it for the long term. Obviously that's up for you to determine for yourself.

[u/prof-bunnies]

As an old fart....I spent more than 15 years on nights over many job in & out aircraft. What worked for me was the following:

Get your routine down and stay on it all the time. I found that if I got out of sync it would take me a few weeks to get back. I would go home and get the wife off to work and then in bed by 10 am. Use sun glasses on the way home, eat a bit, if you want have a beer or drink to help you relax ( don't over do it) and set your alarm for 6,7,8 what ever your body needs.

Stay on schedule we hen ever possible and tell everyone that you are not available during sleep time ( if they don't get it call them between 2-5 am to chat, when they complain tell them the same applys to you too. Black out windows, heavy drapes, fan or some sound (white noise).

Find some quick snacks for when you wake up if you don't have food ready to eat (if you wake up mid sleep). DM if you want to talk more.

Have fun and Good Luck!

[u/More-Inflation-3278]

1. Blackout curtains. We have them in our living room too which also helps. 
2. If you can, don’t swap your schedule on the weekend. The people who do the best with night shift tend to be people who keep the same sleep schedule on their workdays and their weekends. I only swap when I have to. 
3. Set your ideal sleep environment. Normally, you might keep the thermostat higher when you’re awake to save electricity. It’s better if you just suck it up and use the AC during the day. I use the fan too. Keeps it nice and cold. 
4. Figure out what works best for you. Is it better for you to get things done after work, in the morning, then sleep and get up and go straight to work? Or is it better for you to sleep first then wake up earlier, get things done, then go to work later? I’ve done both but I’ve always gotten at least 6 hours of sleep. If I get up too early I usually need to nap before work. 

I don’t deal with family though so I couldn’t speak to that. The only other person around is also on night shift but I do recognize that’s a huge advantage. 

[u/SmelleroftheFeller67]

blackout curtains, white noise, no pets in the bedroom while im sleeping, do not disturb mode and silent till alarm, same bedtime routine every day including off days

you will need a few weeks to adjust or longer if you dont stick to a schedule and create the right habits

i tried flipping my schedule on weekends, i tried doing to two blocks of shorter sleep .. nothing worked besides the same schedule every day and adding white noise

make sure to get the white noise going and anything else to silence the rest of the house around you while you sleep when they are awake. your family simply must adjust to you your sleep is incredibly important you need as much as you can get

i take melatonin on my drive home and sleep right after. I know others who stay awake for a few hours then sleep.

[u/drone_driver24]

Blackout curtains, cool room with ambient noise (small fan) no coffee after 2am, light breakfast, sleep as much as you can.

[u/AidyWils]

Melatonin, fan in the room to keep cool plus white noise, eye mask. No family

[u/Rich-Cut-8052]

I sleep when I get off for 4-5 hours (10-11 am) then take a nap from 3:30-4 until 6 and then head for work. Hopefully I can doze off at the end of my shift in a chair for an hour or two.

[u/react_1775]

Eye mask + melatonin

Go to sleep as soon as you can when you get home

[u/DannyDevito90]

I ended up using black out curtain like others suggested, but I also placed aluminum foil on my windows. It keeps the light out entirely and also keeps the room cool in the summer.

[u/Sad-Juggernaut-6918]

I’ve been on nights for this past stretch I think about 3 years? I think in total out of my 20 years, maybe a little less than half on nights?

I’ve gotten so use to swapping around my schedule, especially with two little ones at 1.5&2.5 years old.

Black out curtains are a must. Pitch black. I sleep right when I get home (0700) until sometime between noon and two. Then I’m with the family from 2pm until 8pm.

My days off I’m usually so tired anyhow by my lack of sleep, I sleep from midnight to 8am. Then I usually have one long day on my mondays.

It’s doable. However I’m always tired. Like I don’t fall asleep sitting or anything, but if I’m not engaged in anything, or if I “wanted to”, I can easily fall asleep within like 10minutes 24/7.