Sleep & Working Night Shift? Tips needed.

[Anonymous]

Strongly considering taking a night shift position that is 11pm to 7 am.

I currently go to bed at midnight during the week but have been known to stay up all night. I mostly want to get out of my current job. I think I could manage at least for the rest of the year.

What are some tips to become a night owl?

[Anonymous]

It's hard. Did night shift 7-7:30 for 9 months. Stayed up til 2 am my nights off and slept til 12 those days. If worked slept 9 am-2 pm got up to get kids etc before work in pm. Was so hoping to go to day shift.

[Anonymous]

Drank lots of coffee

[doodlebug]

I did 7-7:15 for about 4 yrs while going to school during the day. 15 yrs later I still have sleep issues. I think it permanently messed with my circadian rhythm, metabolism etc. It was awful and I'd never do it again.

Tips: try to stay on the same schedule as much as possible, even on off days

Make your room as dark as possible. Seriously. Make it black.

Get a sound machine to drown out noises of the day. You're not going to have any control over people mowing their lawn, driving loud cars down the street, laughing and making noise walking down the sidewalk, knocking on your door even if they know you're sleeping (trust me, no one cares and/or they just don't get it.)

Turn off all gadgets so they don't ring, buzz, turn on lights etc.

In summer, get AC so it's not too hot to sleep.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

doodlebug wrote:I did 7-7:15 for about 4 yrs while going to school during the day. 15 yrs later I still have sleep issues. I think it permanently messed with my circadian rhythm, metabolism etc. It was awful and I'd never do it again.

Tips: try to stay on the same schedule as much as possible, even on off days

Make your room as dark as possible. Seriously. Make it black.

Get a sound machine to drown out noises of the day. You're not going to have any control over people mowing their lawn, driving loud cars down the street, laughing and making noise walking down the sidewalk, knocking on your door even if they know you're sleeping (trust me, no one cares and/or they just don't get it.)

Turn off all gadgets so they don't ring, buzz, turn on lights etc.

In summer, get AC so it's not too hot to sleep.

Good luck.

Thanks. I have a horrible sleep life anyway so this will probably just make it worse, but I got to do something.