I used to be able to do upto 7 or 8 - 12 hour nights in a row no worries.
However over the last 6 months its a real struggle.
I do two and i'm moody, irritable, miss out on life etc etc

Anyone else have this trouble.......

move 12 hours either east or west, problem solved

a man's gotta know his limitations.

^^ Some good tips from Mark. (though I used to have brekky when I got home)
If possible, try to stay out of bright light in the morning. It 'resets' your body clock to be awake.
I have worked a few different start/finish times, including a night shift that went from 4pm to 4am, it was actually fairly good as I would scamper home and get to bed while it is was still dark.
Wear dark sunglasses in the morning if needed. Make sure your bedroom is very dark. (I used total blockout curtain backing, secured to window frame with drawing pins. Also draft 'sausage' to seal gap under door). Earplugs and aircon or fan.

Eat good food and try to maintain some exercise...

Good luck (these are the sunglasses I mentioned)

I agree about avoiding the bright light in the morning skid, I used to finish at 7 but the roster has been changed and now it is 6am M-F (10hr shift) and 8am (12hr)sat, sun.
I hate the later finish you are driving home in full sunlight and I find it heaps harder to get to sleep.

Staying awake through the night is the way to go. Spent too many nights working sleeping as a security guard in an office block which really screwed me. Would get home at 9am and spend all day awake and then only sleep when i should of been working.
You'll get better sleep in the day wearing ear plugs and eye mask.

I try to do less and less..... without much luck

My current routine is to try and have a quick kip on nights during a break just to refresh a bit then straight home and straight to bed.
I used to be able to sleep for at least 8 hours get up in the arvy and feel ok.
Now i sleep til about 11am and feel like ****, cant sleep after i awake and an hour before work is impossible.

I think when i get up i'm going to try the exercise thing - go for a run or a ride or whatever and try and get an hour in in the afternoon.....

Nights suck

Skid said...
, try to stay out of bright light in the morning.

So... drive home with eyes closed? :)
Yeah, done that after a nightshift. Only lasted briefly.... bit scary

patsken said...
It has been stated that shiftwork shortens your lifespan but I've gotten to 50 odd without any major problems

look out, you're due to die any minute. Can I have your windsurf gear?

Welcome to my world and about 80 percent of the workforce!!!.
Just be conscious that fatigue related injuries increase significantly within the last three hours of a shift. Namley afternoon shift and more importantly night-shift.
Also working in an environment that is producing 24/7 has heavy social implications weather it fifo or local based.
For the drive home i usually open the driver window and let the cold air hit my skin rather than a warm heater that will send you to sleep.


You'd have to explain more about your shift roster including (rotation)relative for me to comment any further. Where i work every 2 weeks we change shifts but fortunately the company allows us to make shift swaps so if i have a stretch of nights ill try and pick up 4-8 week stints then on the flip-side on days.
So insted of doing 2 days 2 nights shift swap and do 2 nights 2 nights for a few weeks the 2 days 2 days etc. if you get the adjist

Also the 12/24/7 being a attached without kids i often shift-swap workmates during times like Xmas and important dates to give them time with here kids its big Kudos$$$$ for the single man .

Your going to hit a wide variety of persona and moods on shifts because of sleep deprivation and personal factors but staying calm and being diffusive is always the best resolution. Those that are normally placid can become aggressive and require time alone. (keep quiet and support them)

There is a plethora of ways to tackle a shift work and manage personal fatigue but it comes down to the individual.
many people drink coffee all night then cant sleep during the day.many turn to eating and diet abuse other drinking (like myself)

Anyways good luck if you find the answers you seek let us know ;-)
ps: the "experts say to have a shut eye during long night-shift as it reduced fatigue

^^^^
Geez send me an appo form will ya cobber

Scotty88 said...
Google 'Ken Davis'.
You need some rainforest sounds.
I go to sleep to it every night.
Btw I haven't done nightshirt for 18 years and don't miss it one bit.

freeballer mate

BulldogPup said...

Scotty88 said...
Google 'Ken Davis'.
You need some rainforest sounds.
I go to sleep to it every night.
Btw I haven't done nightshirt for 18 years and don't miss it one bit.

freeballer mate

Sh1t you are getting very red thumbs Pup.
A stalker on the loose ?

Alot of guys in mining rely on restavit from the chemist for their sleep when doing nights.

poor relative said...

I used to be able to do upto 7 or 8 - 12 hour nights in a row no worries.
However over the last 6 months its a real struggle.
I do two and i'm moody, irritable, miss out on life etc etc

Would it have anything to do with withdrawls from running, riding, swimming, kiting, pork pies, and then trying to survive on 3 hours of sleep?

That would make me irritable.