Does anyone here work a midnight shift?

berkshire_rider · Feb 28, 2005

I worked one for a year and a half about 6 years ago. I was always tired, and NFW I could have gone to class in the morning after work. Couldn't sleep during the day, either. To this day, I'm convinced it causes my sleep problems. 3rd shift = :stosh:

as far as I'm concerned. I think I would work 2 jobs before going back to 3rd shift again.

Kiltim · Feb 28, 2005

Yeah i've worked an 1130-830 shift for the past 4 months now. Going back to working days on Wednesday...can't wait. Working nights sucks. Tired all night, cant sleep during the day sometimes...and even if I do sleep, its only for maybe 4-5 hours before I end up waking up. Then I get tired again before I go to work because its dark and getting late. I take sleeping pills sometimes (mainly Tylenol PM) and it helps alot. As for pay during nightshift....i get paid no matter what hours i work, or how many hours i work...which sucks. Technically i could work 21 hours a day, 7 days a week and get paid the same. :stosh:

But eh... thats the military for ya.

BuddhaRoadkill · Feb 28, 2005

Kiltim said:
Yeah i've worked an 1130-830 shift for the past 4 months now. Going back to working days on Wednesday...can't wait. Working nights sucks. Tired all night, cant sleep during the day sometimes...and even if I do sleep, its only for maybe 4-5 hours before I end up waking up. Then I get tired again before I go to work because its dark and getting late. I take sleeping pills sometimes (mainly Tylenol PM) and it helps alot. As for pay during nightshift....i get paid no matter what hours i work, or how many hours i work...which sucks. Technically i could work 21 hours a day, 7 days a week and get paid the same. But eh... thats the military for ya.

I worked the 11pm-7am shift for a year and a half while I lived in Seattle. In order to have any life at all, I gave up sleeping ... which lead to rehab and me moving back to Oregon, haha.
Now I'm on a comfortable 6pm-2am shift. Much better. Most people I know that have tried the graveyard/class thing gave up quickly. Something about being up all night during sunrise just messes with the mind.

Pau11y · Feb 28, 2005

Yup, screw'd me all up. Well, at least in part

Your chic's temper and mood swings are gonna be crazy...watch out!

TN · Feb 28, 2005

that shift will kill you. if the money sucks, i dont understand why you would put yourself through the torture of the graveyard shift.

Spudzie · Feb 28, 2005

I worked 12-8 for 3 months and loved it, plus i was going to college from 10 til 1 so i was wide awake for my classes.

I think it all depends on the person, some like it and some haye it

If given the opertunity again i'd go back to 3rd shift in a heart beat

Instigator · Feb 28, 2005

6 of the last 8 years has been 10pm -7am. As already put by others, I am always tired, get very little sleep during the day, bad eating habits, lost interest in any exercise, moody, social life is hanging by a thread................

It has been proven that it shortens your life span

Final answer: It sucks the life out of you.

Fathead · Feb 28, 2005

Instigator said:
social life is hanging by a thread................

That sucks. I'm curious though, are there a lot of people in your community that work a similar schedule? I know that cops who work the same shift will socialize w/their shiftmates. Same w/plant workers.

I understand if all your riding buddies, drinking buddies, etc work days. Just wondering if anyone else in your area has a similar schedule and would wanna hang out.

I worked security until midnight for a while. . . That schedule sucks. I worked the 3:45am sort at UPS for a while too. It sucked in a different way. Add to your list of woes (depending on the schedule):

- Can't go out and party w/your friends at night;
- Can't have a normal Friday night date;
- Can't walk into a store and buy a cold 6-pack to enjoy when u get home;
- Being home during the day triggers irresistable pre-programmed urge to get baked, eat Captain Crunch, and watch Gilligan's Island all day.

GumbaFish · Feb 28, 2005

It sucks, thats my piece.

Honeywell · Feb 28, 2005

When I was working two jobs a couple summers ago I worked 6pm-2am, then slept for 4 hours, got ready again and worked 8am-5pm.

The 6-2 job was only Tuesday and Thursday though, the 8-5 job was MWF. So I was lucky enough to have days where I could sleep in.

It wasn't the lack of sleep that really messed me up it was my messed up eating schedule that effected me the most.

mantispf2000 · Feb 28, 2005

Here's 2 sides for you--

After our daughter was born, we decided that my wife would work the late shift, I'd work days, and that way one of us would be home with the kids. Figured we might as well maximize her earnings (she works for tips), which worked for a while.

Then we both worked the late shift, which opened up a can of worms, as our kids pretty much had a free run of what to do, which led to problems. Now, she works days (and is a lot less tired, though the money is a bit less), and I still work late. She's a bit happier, while I'd like to get away from the drunks and bone-heads I deal with (I work at a casino). Yes, my sleep is broken up, as I take naps before work sometimes, and I try to squeeze in a ride of about 1-2 hours before leaving. Granted, when summer rolls around, I'll drive to work, ride home, then ride back the next day. That's usually fun (haha).

You said you'll support your lady. Let her do it, and see if it works. I hope it does, 'cuz it's all temporary until the goal is reached. It may be a struggle until the system is tweaked, but it can work. Just remember to keep the volume down when she is trying to sleep.

joelsman · Feb 28, 2005

i work 10pm to 6:30am and I don't like it, my wife works 6am to 3pm so we see each other in the evening, I am not as happy hard to get up and ride then go to work. I sleep during the day(kinda). I never feel 100% awake anymore, more zombie ish. i work sunday - thurs nights so I have fri and sat nights off. oh and you really get 1.5 days off for weekends, sucks.

CinderChk · Mar 1, 2005

i work 8pm-8am and am trying to go to school. it kills me, but the money's good. I agree with the others that if the money's not right its not worth it. She'll probably try it for a little while and maybe decide that's not what she wants. I stay tired and crabby constantly. :mumble:

ALEXIS_DH · Mar 1, 2005

i work nights. my schedule is quite flexible from around 9-10 until 4-5. fortunately i dont work on weekend nights.
its kinda crappy mainly because i have to sleep until 1 or 2 pm, and i for most of the time i am awake, my friends and gf are at school or at work.

bohica · Mar 1, 2005

I've been working 7p-7a for the last 4 yrs. have every other weekend off, maintain a marriage, go to school, exercise, ride, and socialize with wife. I'll sleep when I'm dead.

nydave · Mar 1, 2005

Yea, I work 12 midnight to 8:30 am. You get used to it after awhile. I've always liked it. You just have to pick a time to sleep and stick to it. Yes, I've read studies that say it's unhealthy too. But I will say I vastly prefer midnights as opposed to afternoon shifts. In a perfect world everybody would work "dayshift" hours only. But, look at it this way, there are plenty of benefits, at least for me...working the graveyard shift. One thing I like is that I show up for work, find out what needs to be done and I'm on my way...no interuptions etc., work gets done and everybody' s happy. I don't have to worry about the "Too many chiefs and not enough indians" syndrome either. Plus I have all day to do what I want. The most important thing though is finding a sleep schedule that works for you and sticking to it. One down side...on my days off, my body still is in the same pattern, so it's difficult to sleep thru the night and I end up getting out of bed way before sunrise. But, I will say, midnight shift isn't for everyone. Later...I'm going to sleep

Booker · Mar 1, 2005

I worked two jobs while going to college. Lasted about 2 years. I would work at UPS (sorting packages) from about 11:00PM until 5:00 AM i then had a 45min drive home. I would sleep 3-4 hours and then drive an hour to school. School was from 12:00 til 5:00. After school i would eat some fast food and head to my second job (sales monkey at Old Navy) where i worked from 5:30 until 10:00. Drive 30 min across town to UPS and start over again. I worked this schedule for 5 days a week mon-fri for 2 years. It was terrible on my body. I was sick ALL the time, was always rushing to get homework done on the weekends (maintained a 3.4 GPA

) I had developed ulcers and had all kinds of mood swings. Never again

berkshire_rider · Mar 1, 2005

bohica said:
I've been working 7p-7a for the last 4 yrs. have every other weekend off, maintain a marriage, go to school, exercise, ride, and socialize with wife. I'll sleep when I'm dead.

You and Sam Elliot.

JoeRay · Mar 2, 2005

Done both 10pm-6am and 8pm to 8am.

I found both to be real hard on eating and sleeping habits. But didn't worry too much at the time cause I was young and they were paying me stupid big amounts.

Did it for a few months last year again and learnt three things.

1. I actually slept better when on night shift than day shift. :confused:

2. Night shift really rocks in winter when you can be in bed all day. :thumb:

3. Does anyone-else's general *ahem* ardor level increase on these kind of shifts?

neaky: :devil:

neaky:

The other big killer is how many in a row you do, three or four no worries, a weeks worth eew, and longer than that, thime for the rubber rooms.

bohica · Mar 2, 2005

berkshire_rider said:
You and Sam Elliot.

he's not my type

scrublover · Mar 2, 2005

bohica said:
I've been working 7p-7a for the last 4 yrs. have every other weekend off, maintain a marriage, go to school, exercise, ride, and socialize with wife. I'll sleep when I'm dead.

RN? I've been doing the same (7P - 7A) for nearly 6 years now, in ICU settings. Love it! Three nights a week on, the rest to play.......

Just getting to the end of 8 days off now. 3 days on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 3 on, 8 off. repeat. pretty much my schedule.

berkshire_rider · Mar 2, 2005

bohica said:
he's not my type

That's his line from Road House..........................

Does anyone here work a midnight shift?

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