I've just finished a run of nights which for me is seven nights. Now I enjoy nights but the problem is that I quickly ajust into night mode but I have a hell of a problem getting back into a proper sleep pattern for days afterwards. You name I've tried it. My current method is to stay up as long as I can after the last night, force myself up after 4 - 5hrs kip and stay up to 11ish - midnight then with the aid of a nytol tablet try and sleep. Even with the nytol I find that I get off to sleep ok but come 3 o clock I'm wide a bloody wake

If you work nights, how many do you do, do you struggle to return to a normal sleep pattern and if so what tricks do you use?

Kitman
(tired and grumpy)

I work 7 nights followed by a quick change over onto 1 late turn I never have trouble going to sleep, on average I reckon it takes me less than half a minute to drift off.

Now that's the thing, we use to do 7 nights and then a quick change over which helped me get back to a normal pattern quicker. Then a few years ago, under a local agreement we gave up our mealbreaks on nights which gave us 7 hours over the course of seven nights to take the quick change over off!

Quick change used to work for me when I had a regular shift pattern but now with nights being done as required a 3y/o child tends to keep me up long enough to warrant a 12hr hibernation

Haha, well I'm not going to start having kids just to resolve my sleeping patterns

We work either 4 nights (Mon - Thurs) or 3 nights (Fri - Sun). I tend to go to bed when I get home from the last one and only kip for 3 hours before getting up. If I sleep any longer then I can't get to sleep when I go to bed that night.
Works for me.

Sorry dont do nights anymore - In bed by 10pm!!!!!!

Rich I'm sure you have a spare kid or two to lend chris lol

No offence Rich, I'm sure their're lovely kids but I'll stick to the Nytol or take up drinking

Ha ha ha ha ha

If you change your mind give us a nod - Wife is already planning another

See your still up chris

Rich, get her spayed or something lol


Nite all

See I wasn't kidding about the difficulties of getting back into a proper sleep pattern! Oh well start a run of seven lates tomorrow, that should do it!!!

Hey folks... I'm back. First opportunity I've had since the sites been back up and running... I do 7 nights. That's 10pm to 6am. I like it cause it's the only week on the roster that I have a "routine"... After finishing at 6am on the Monday morning, I'm back at 2pm on Wednesday. So, I sleep most of Monday, have Tuesday off and back wednesday. Not enough time off IMO.

Anyway, nice to see ya'all again!

Quit complaining you we all did those shifts.

Worse if your mooching overtime eg at a concert, let go home at 12 back at work at 6, lovely

Wow it's amazing how your shift layout is different to here in NSW. We, on average, do 2 day shifts then 2 night shifts....with the occassional overtime shift thrown in for giggles. Some departments have operations going so your roster for a fortnight can be a little how's it going - but usually it flows ok

I have a hard time adjusting back into the swing of things when I come of night shift - always feel as though I haven't gotten enough sleep. I have become more of a night owl since becoming a shift worker.

As in a remedy for getting back into a routine - sorry can't help you there - being a shift worker in a Police Force makes you very different to the rest of society