Anyone deal with shift work?

[Peter]

How do you deal with the graveyard shift and do you readjust to a day schedule on your days off?
My situation is that I work 13 hour 20 min. shifts 3 days a week. They are looooooong shifts but I have 4 days off a week. I'm wondering if I should bother with readjusting to a day schedule or if I should maintain a grave schedule during the 4 days I have off.

My schedule is similar to those that work 12s so if you have something like that please make it known.

[rubysRunner]

I'm currently working a 4 on/4 off rotation 11.25 hr graveyard shifts. I tend to pretty much keep up the late night schedule on my days off. I've been working late evening/graveyard for 3 years straight now, and it seems natural to me now. Other people that I work with that go back to a "normal" schedule on their weekends seem to burn out a lot faster. Burning out is something you need to watch out for on the late nights. Some people can handle the switching back and forth but I'm not one of them. Losing that much sleep is not good for the brain or the body, especially if you have a stressful job.

Whether or not you should try to switch back to normal people hours is really dependent on your lifestyle. Do you have kids? married? If you have kids you probably won't have much choice in the matter.

Good luck with it. I really like working gravy (as we call it) for the most part.

[PirateFins]

I don't yet (fingers crossed), but my wife works 2p-2a in the ER and she stays on the normal schedule on her days off, unless it is a good stretch off. If she doesn't she turns into a zombie and is very cranky to say the least.

[all_terrain17]

I don't bother trying to readjust either. Though it does kinda suck waking up and your day is already halfway over :(

[Trumpfan]

I'm on a 11.5hr 2pm to 2am shift, but the longest stretch I work is only 3 days but mostly only 2 days in a row. I usually get up about 10am regardless if I'm working or not, its a matter of discipline too I don't know if you have children but they usually don't allow me to sleep the day away :shake: . I found a good diet really helps with the adjustment, stay away from processed sugars and coffee when you start to slow down, drink tons of water because when you get tired about 9 hours into your shift you usually aren't tired just dehydrated.

[YotaGirl]

Justin works 3:30pm to 1am. He keeps his schedule on his days off. Since I don't work, Caity and I have adjusted to his schedule. Caity's new bedtime is now 11:30/12 and she usually sleeps until about 8:30/9. I get up with Caity and Justin wakes up around 10/10:30. Since Caity isn't in school, we don't have to deal with those hours, it has been pretty easy for all of us to adjust.

[jrallan26]

My schedule isnt that brutal. I work from Sunday night - Friday morning 11pm-7am. I like it since I dont have to pay for daycare during the summer months plus I get 15% shift differential.

[rubysRunner]

Shift differential is another bonus for sure. After 6pm and all day on Sundays I get an extra 1.50/hr. It adds up.

[blknblu]

I think it depends on your lifestyle whether to switch back and forth or not. If your thing is going out clubbing and you live somewhere with a nightlife, staying on nights is fine. On the other hand if your thing is ocean kayaking, staying on nights is a bit of a problem. Kids and wives throw in a whole other variable to consider.

I'm on days now but worked 7p-7a for years, 3 days one week and 4 days the next. Personally I switched back to a day schedule. It's just my wife and me and don't think she would have cared if I stayed up, but everything I like is kind of a day thing. Wheeling, hiking, camping, fixing up the house etc. although there has been plenty a night that I was out in the garage cleaning truck parts too. Then some neighbor would go by walking their dog or something and look at me like I was a tweaker or something.

Typically, what I did was save all my scut work for the day I got off, and I would stay up doing that. Stuff like laundry, grocery shopping, grass cutting. I figured the grass and laundry didn't care if I was cranky, and I didn't care if the grocery store folks thought I was cranky. Once I was up past noon or so I was good til about 7-8pm then I'd crash all night and be on a day schedule with all my crap done and my time completely free. Worked for me anyway.

[BruceTS]

I used to work 6pm to 6am 3 days a week, on my days off, I found it much easier to keep to that schedule as much as possible. When I got home I'd go to bed, usually getting around 5 hours of sleep. Then in the afternoon I'd get my chores done.

[blknblu]

I used to work 6pm to 6am 3 days a week, on my days off, I found it much easier to keep to that schedule as much as possible. When I got home I'd go to bed, usually getting around 5 hours of sleep. Then in the afternoon I'd get my chores done.


Yeah, I couldn't do it. Once my head hit that pillow, I wasn't getting up again for anything until my body had all the sleep it desired. In the short time she worked nights though, my wife could do the 4-5 hr nap thing. Also, for half the year here in AZ, the afternoon isn't the time for chores.

[Peter]

I think I pissed off the scheduling supervisor... I'm not alternating days and graves like phase training is supposed to go. I'm stuck on graves for the next 2 phases (2 months). I guess I'll have to get used to it :(

[BruceTS]

Yeah, I couldn't do it. Once my head hit that pillow, I wasn't getting up again for anything until my body had all the sleep it desired. In the short time she worked nights though, my wife could do the 4-5 hr nap thing. Also, for half the year here in AZ, the afternoon isn't the time for chores.


Most of the stores I needed to hit up wouldn't open til 10am, so i'd go in the afternoon. After working 12 hrs + travel time it was much easier to hit the sack. First thing I needed to do was totally black the room so no light came through.

I tried getting chores done when I got home, but I couldn't get a sound sleep in the afternoon, besides it was much easier to transition back to a normal schedule the other way.