The best idea I can give you is to change your shift. You will NEVER get good sleep no matter what you do working that shift. I know I didn't. Just my opinion.

 

Yeah the shift sucks.. But that is the way the job market is. Until someone retires or leaves the other shifts preferably 3-11. I'm stuck working it.

 

When I was working mids I actually put cardboard in my widows to make my bedroom even darker, (this in addition to black out shades). Then I would pop in a thunderstorm cd into my bose radio and fall asleep.

 

I have to agree with Rock, its just bad for you. You never get into rem which is where your body will strengthen its immune system.I cant count the number of friends I have that have gotten seriiously ill after working nights for years. If you have to do it, black out your windows, get a white noise machine, shut your dam phone off if you can, and being single helps alot.

 

Hubby worked mids for a while when we were first married... it SUUUUUCKED!! We couldn't do much together during the day because he had to sleep, his eating schedule was totally thrown off so we couldn't eat regular meals together, and even on his days off, his body and brain were so screwed up from working nights, he couldn't really keep a regular schedule on those days either. Plus I hated being home alone every night. I am soooo glad he doesn't have to do that anymore.
My mom works mids at a home for developmentally disabled people (she's worked that shift for years), but I'm completely convinced that many of the health issues she has have been aggravated by her work schedule. People are not meant to be awake all night and sleep during the day. God bless those of you that do it, its not easy!

 

Some people can just do it. I'm on mids by choice and have been for the last four years. I can come home with the sun pouring in through my bedroom windows and log 7 hours without an issue. When my wife did mids, we had to duct tape the light blocking blinds to the wall and buy stock in Benadryl.

A note on sleep aids: My wid and I discussed at length the sleep aids she took, as they were necessary but we were very concerned about the health effects. The doctor assured her Melatonin and Benadryl were safe if used RESPONSIBLY (and she noted that taking more and more Melatonin won't put you to sleep deeper or more quickly, it will just keep you asleep longer). Definately something you should talk with your doctor about.

 

When I worked mids on a regular basis it wasn't really an issue, since that's what my body became used to. Then again, I was in my 20's, single, and living alone in an apartment building where everyone worked during the day, so it was like a tomb when I was sleeping.

Now, I'll do a mid shift on OT once in awhile, and it screws me up for 2-3 days afterwards, especially if I'm coming home on a Saturday or Sunday morning when the kids aren't in school, because I may get 4 total hours of crappy, broken sleep before I have to get up to go back in at 4pm.

I'd be interested to know how I'd react going back to straight midnights, now that I'm rounding the corner of mid-40's.....not that interested that I'm actually going to try it, however.

 

.....not that interested that I'm actually going to try it, however.

A promotion might laucnh you back on there
:wink_smile:

 

A promotion might laucnh you back on there
:wink_smile:

If.....and that's a HUGE *IF*.....that ever happened, it would ONLY be for my last few years, if you know what I mean.

 

If.....and that's a HUGE *IF*.....that ever happened, it would ONLY be for my last few years, if you know what I mean.

aaaahhhhhhmmmmm no rocket scientist but I think I'm trackin

 

Midnights is for the Youngsters, and those wanting to avoid the a-holes that are awake during the day

 

An old family friend of mine went to the Eve shift after decades on days and ended up getting his ass handed to him in the projects by a family of welfare pigs. Help got to him, but he collapsed at the station after and was seriously injured.

You'll never see me on days, I've been on the evening shift for a looooong time.....I was talking about going midnights for the last few years if I ever decided to take the plunge and go for sergeant, because that's where new sergeants always land with us.

(last 3 years....pension calculations.....get it?)

 

I work mids and have for the past two and a half years. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I usually sleep about 3-4 hours (if I am lucky) sometimes, depends on the day, I might get a few more hours. Days off...I don't know what they are. I don't usually have an issue falling asleep when I am working, but "days off" nights are the hardest to fall asleep, especially if I have just come off of a shift at my PT job.

 

(last 3 years....pension calculations.....get it?)

I got it but I spent too much time being a comedian instead of showing I knew about best/highest 3.

 

I got it but I spent too much time being a comedian instead of showing I knew about best/highest 3.

That was directed at mtc!!

 

I work eve and mid shifts throughout the week. I don't have a normal sleep schedule haha. My goal is to be asleep by 3 hours after work.

1. After work I take a hot shower or bath.
2. I lay in bed with my laptop and surf the internet, read threads on here, or watch shows on hulu.
3. I always have a fan running while I sleep to block out the noise.
4. Light doesn't bother me anymore.
5. If I need it, I take 5mg of Melatonin or Benadryl if I NEED to sleep right away.

I can't take naps. Sometimes, my body thinks my sleep time IS a nap and I wake up in 2 hours. I usually get 5-7 hours of sleep. More times than I want, I'm up 24+ hours.. once or twice a week. I don't get sick often, maybe once a year.

I guess it would be easier if I was on just mids, but I tried that and hated it. I felt like my whole day was wasted by sleeping. Now, I'm always up no later than 3pm everyday.

 

Gravyard for 8 years fulltime. Partime for at least 8 before that. Sleep for 3 or 4 hours in the morning and another 2 or 3 in the evening. It just sucks. Great for your health and marriage. In the last year all the long term midnight guys in my department have ended up in the hospital, myself included. This shift kills you slowly. Like others have said, shut the phone off, keep your room dark and get a white noise machine.

 

Being somewhat of a sarcastic ass, but am I the only one that read the title, and thought that this thread was about how to properly tuck away and sleep on the overnight shift? LMAO.

 

Being somewhat of a sarcastic ass, but am I the only one that read the title, and thought that this thread was about how to properly tuck away and sleep on the overnight shift? LMAO.

The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club.

 

I've spent 8 years on/off working Mids. At first, I used to stay up until 2-3 in the afternoon and then sleep until I was scheduled, but that sucked royally. I just ended up being useless in a 24 hour cycle. At my last job, I would go to sleep right when I got home, and things worked out much better. For days off, I would sleep 4 hours when I got home, and then try to salvage the rest of the day with the family.

I have an open floorplan with hardwood floors, 3 kids under 7, a 2 year old GSD, and 2 cats. I slept with earplugs, gun range headphones, and AC on blast. Guess who woke me up without fail? Wife yelling at them. :stomp: I came out of the room Tollbooth Willy style on a couple occasions. haha

 

I work 11-730, my bed time is usually now (8:30), right after I eat. I have no problem falling sleep as its my set schedule. Even on days off I stay up till at least 7am before I crash. I'm also in my 20's single and live alone, so I don't have anyone keeping me up. I close my blinds and crash.

 

A large glass of orange juice and vodka helps you fall asleep. Just kidding not a good idea. When I worked nights we were on a last/first split shift. None of us ever got used to it.

 

Being somewhat of a sarcastic ass, but am I the only one that read the title, and thought that this thread was about how to properly tuck away and sleep on the overnight shift? LMAO.

Lol, yes, I started reading all the tips and thought, why hasn't anyone mentioned parking the cruiser behind the library or something.

 

A large glass of orange juice and vodka helps you fall asleep. Just kidding not a good idea. When I worked nights we were on a last/first split shift. None of us ever got used to it.

I actually kind of liked that schedule back then.....lots of time off. Then again, I was in my 20's, living alone, etc.

 

I have been working mids for a couple of months now. Prier to working mids I got sick maybe once, twice a year and now I feel like I have been sick for at least a month! I just cant kick it.

I go to sleep as soon as I get home as thats when my wife takes my 3 year old to pre school and its very quiet. I usually get 4 hours of sleep during the day then "try" to get a few after dinner but with a 1 year old and a 3 year old and a wife yelling at them to "be quiet your dad is trying to sleep" it doesn't work out to well.