Night shifts?

[Bill]

Can those who work night shifts give me any advice as to how to not allow being up all night affect you coping during the day?

For instance, when you're up all night, do you go straight to bed in the morning and if so for how long?

Is it more important and just as healthy to get enough hours sleep rather than when you actually go to bed? It's just that I've heard that not getting enough sleep can be bad but I haven't heard if it's bad if you slept all morning rather than all night?

Any thoughts please?:hugs:

[marie1974]

hi bill, i am going to bump u back up for forum and hope someone can give u some advice, i did shift work along time ago and when i got home in morning i would have half hour or so and then go to bed for around 7 hours, i found it very hard adjusting to night shifts and ended very tired. hugs xxxx

[maddie]

When I worked nights I used to eat when I got home then go to bed around 11am. I'd wake about 5 and have a couple of hours at home before going back to work.

I sleep little at night, then nap during the day at the moment. My doc says everyone needs a different number of hours sleep (usually 6-8) to function well. He told me not to worry about sleeping, as my body will sleep when it needs too - you know, the "I can't keep my eyes open any longer" feeling.

I do have a sleep programme that I could send to you that is very effective if you would like to try it, although I think you said that your wife keeps you up so it is difficult for you to decide when you will sleep? Hope you get a few hours tonight :hugs:

[Bill]

Thank you!:hugs:xxx

I can't do anything about when I'm allowed to sleep at present but I do try to make sure I get the hours I feel I need. I just think to myself sometimes if there will be any long term effects on my health by not being able to get to sleep at a "normal" time, not that I can do much about it.

I just wondered how people like nurses cope. I can appreciate how they must feel which is another reason why I admire them so much.:hugs:

[Granny Primark]

I worked nights for about 6 years.
I found it really difficult to sleep during the day cus I would be thinking of the housework I should be doing!
There is a condition nicknamed "night nurse paralasis".
I would go in a deep sleep then start to waken. I would be fully aware of what was going on but unable to waken up properly. I couldnt move.
Apparantly this is quite common.
I hope you find a good sleeping pattern bill. I couldnt.
I dont think working nights is suitable for everyone.

[Bill]

Thank you Lynn:hugs:

Sometimes I feel so tired during the day that I feel it should be nightime and in the evenings after I've cooked dinner I keep missing the end to programmes! I actually seem more awake at night now so I do the jobs then! Everything's upside down. I don't know how you and others cope with actually working all night!

Thank you.:hugs:

[maddie]

I seem to have become nocturnal too Bill. I don't know why, but it is very draining. What time of day do you have your longest period of sleep? Do you have a nap as well? I know you come on nmp very late. That is very stimulating (I mean that totally innocently :blush::D) Could you visit earlier then have quiet time before you go to bed?

You've said you are up at night because your wife is. Does she need you to be up with her or would she be safe wandering in the house on her own? When does she sleep?

Sleep debt and deprivation can be very debilitating. I hope you manage to rearrange your activities to enable you a good period of sleep soon. :bighug1:

[Bill]

My longest period of sleep will normally be between 6.30am and 11am or later if can get away with it! Sometimes I get into bed earlier but I've found I get woken up by noise or lights on and then I have trouble getting back to sleep even with my door closed.

I often have a catnap after I've cooked, eaten and washed up after dinner. Just can't seem to stay awake then!

She's safe to leave doing all her rituals downstairs but often won't go to bed no matter how much I push her so it's just easier on my health to wait.

The other concern I have is our dog. He's getting extremely wobbly on his legs and he needs letting out during the night. It worries me to see him like it because he's so old now but I don't want to lose him. I know that one day it may well come to that though. It sounds nasty but without him, I won't have him to worry about at night so maybe I'll then try getting to bed a bit earlier but I'd rather be up all night with him than to be left alone without him. That won't change the other problems though.:hugs:

[messianictalmud]

Hi Bill I used to work night shifts (12 hours) when doing security work.
I used to have cup of horlicks as soon as I got home and settle down to kip then woke up around 2 - 2.30pm get up and enjoy the rest of the day before going to work at 6pm.
Even though many of us have problems with sleeping, one doctor told me once that the human body get's enough sleep it needs to function, it's just sometimes we don't feel as though we've had enough sleep which I think then feeds our anxiety.