Sleep advice. Night shift to day shift.

[young_bairn]

Anybody got any tips for swappping round from night shift to day shift?

I have no problems going onto nights but the other way around is killer. Hence why Im posting this at 2am Slept for about 3 hours there and I came of night shift just under a week ago.

[The Riddler]

What i tend to do after my last night shift (thursday into friday) is stay up all day and get to bed about 11pm on fridays then sat morning i'm normally up and alive before 11am, get to bed at a reasonable time on saturdays, and the same happens sunday. But i'm normally back at work sunday nights, so its not often i do it properly, i know i can work it effectively when needed though.

Just a case of having enough to do to keep you occupied and awake for so long

[ymwoods]

I usually go for a 2-hour sleep when I get back from my last night shift (I work until 7am) and then this usually keeps me relatively awake until nighttime where I then have a normal sleep. Usually I wake up later than normal but then the day after I am back to a day shift routine.

[young_bairn]

Well mine is more difficult.

I work a week of nights 12 hour (6 till 6) shifts then a change around shift 2pm to 10 pm then Im onto days. So when I get up for the changearound shift Im knackered but when I go to bed I can't sleep at all. 2 or 3 hours max then ping Im awake. The next week of days is more of the same. It's a nightmare. Considering night nurse haha.

[OllieWinchester]

ymwoods said:

I usually go for a 2-hour sleep when I get back from my last night shift (I work until 7am) and then this usually keeps me relatively awake until nighttime where I then have a normal sleep. Usually I wake up later than normal but then the day after I am back to a day shift routine.

I finish at 7am when I do my nights, its beyond me how you manage to rouse yourself after 2hrs of sleep. I always go to sleep with the intention of just a couple of hours, then sleep like a baby and wake up some considerable time later, dazed and confused...

[ymwoods]

OllieWinchester said:

ymwoods said:

I usually go for a 2-hour sleep when I get back from my last night shift (I work until 7am) and then this usually keeps me relatively awake until nighttime where I then have a normal sleep. Usually I wake up later than normal but then the day after I am back to a day shift routine.

I finish at 7am when I do my nights, its beyond me how you manage to rouse yourself after 2hrs of sleep. I always go to sleep with the intention of just a couple of hours, then sleep like a baby and wake up some considerable time later, dazed and confused...

I used to do this too before I got into a routine so to speak. I think my body has eventually got used to the fact that its changing sleeping pattern now after 3 years.

I try to keep a constant sleep pattern, I go to sleep at around 9am and wake around 4:30-5pm so the 2 hours "booster sleep" so to speak when changing back to days isnt done when I am particuarly knackered, otherwise I am sure I would just sleep through.