shift work.... any tips to survive?

[highdrifter]

Welcome back to the grind Gerritt!

 

I've been on nights for the last couple years.. 12-8am, mon-fri.

 

It's life altering for sure, especially if you have kids. I'm pretty much free to do what I wanna do when I'm not at work so I can't offer much in that regard.

 

Toughest part is no doubt the sleeping bit. Trick is to cancel out the light as much as possible. I've tried a bunch of methods but the best I've found is to line your bedroom window with tin foil, and cover it with a black out blind. Get the best black out blinds you can afford. They'll reduce outdoor noise and regulate heat/cold.

 

You will need pitch darkness. If that means stuffing the bottom gap on your bedroom door - do it.

 

As for noise, ear plugs are a mand's best friend. The softer the better. If you sleep on your side, you need only one in the exposed ear. I've found that one in the ear next to the pillow can be painfull and isn't really necessary.

 

Another thing: Try not to eat anything before you sleep. Give yourself at least 2-3hrs after a meal. Sugar and fried stuff makes for a pretty restless shnooze.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

cheers

HD

[krixxer]

Just a guess but did you land a job with ATS

[BITEME]

All I can say is this wherever you go to sllepp in the house make sure it is dark no light day or night you will adjust but you cannot put of the sleep eat your meals normally or eat a bunch of small meals throughout the shift you will adapt but it wont happen right away most important thing though is the total darkness its a must

 

and watch this it may give you some insight.

http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode/lights-out.html

remember force yourself to sleep i know it sounds funny sometimes not easy to do but you need to do it and religiously.

 

good luck

advice from a long time shifter

 

Peter

Edited December 18, 2012 by BITEME.Esq

[Spiel]

Congrats on the job Gerritt.

 

I worked that very shift pattern for many years, you're gonna die.

[Live2fish85]

I hate shift work. Although I the shift style you are working is better I found. You tend to get used to it more then a week or two straight of nights then days then back. This way you just never get used to it and are always tired haha.

[grt1]

when i do the midnight shift i come home and go straight to bed, sleep till 12-1230 then i';m up until 530 then back to bed until 1030. it seem to be the only way that found that works for me. the only thing is that my midnight shifts go for 5 days then i have 5 off. it seems that it takes 2 days for me to get back to normal and for my eyes to stop burning. BUT, i'm 66 and old bodies don't seem to adapt well as younger ones do.

[fisher]

Can you not work something out with a co-worker so that you work all the night shifts for say 2 or 3 months, and your co-worker works the day shift? And then switch. Obviously the company would need to be on board with it...Maybe it would be something you can look into after being there a few months...

 

If it were me, I would prefer to have a set schedule for a longer period of time instead of constantly switching it up.

[dave524]

I worked that 12 hour rotation for about 1/2 my working life, fortunately I was single , living alone for most of it. Look on the bright side, 1 week you get 3 days off the next you get 4 days off and the best part the rotation I had, once a month you got off at 8 am on Friday and didn't have to be back in till tues at 8 am, better than a long weekend

Retired for 4 1/2 years now , good pension and benefits, that is the best, eventually it is all worth it.

[Fish Farmer]

Congrats on the job Gerritt.

 

I worked that very shift pattern for many years, you're gonna die.

X2

38 years at Stelco on shifts. 36 was 8 hour shifts, then they put us on 12's, it killed me. I couldn't sleep at the best of times. Being a crane operator and doing a 12 hour night shift put others on the ground in danger because I only had a couple hours sleep at best. Thats what made me retire. Was falling asleep at the controls, not good. I didn't go to work to kill my work mates. I had to make the big decision, getting older and no sleep, time to hang up your hat. I tell you you never get used to it, unless you are different. Mite be alright if your on the ground working and you don't put others at risk. Siting in a cab (box) for 12 hours, picture yourself siting in your closet for 12 hours with no sleep.

Congrats on your new job Gerritt, Good luck man.

[Moosebunk]

The swing days. When you work until 7AM in the morning but don't have to go in again that night. I handled them in 2 ways. If I had plans that evening..sons hockey game etc etc... I would come straight home from work have my cold shower and go right to bed and set my alarm for 1PM. You WILL feel like death when that alarm goes off but drag your butt out of bed. Have a coffee or do whatever to get your heart pumping. After awhile if you have not committed suicide you will feel fine and you will be wide awake for whatever your plans are for that evening, but you will still be tired enough to go to bed at your regular bedtime as if you had been on dayshift that day. The other swing day option is come home in the morning and just stay awake all day. It's not as hard as it sounds as long as you keep busy. These used to be my fav midweek fishing days. I'd have the car packed and head for the lake right from work. No weekend crowds just me and the fish. Fish as long as you want but don't stay out past the point where it would be unsafe for you to drive home. These days I would come home from fishing mentally and physically exhausted have supper with the family and then pack it in early and sleep right through until the next morning.

 

Well put... and once upon a time used to do the same thing with staying up all day and going fishing. Crashing out in the tent or back at home by 7-9pm and sleeping 12 hours.

 

 

Didn't want to scare ya Gerritt about shift, your schedule is going to be hard man, but you will see how it works for you.

 

Personally, I could not and would not do 5 days a week until reaching that point when shift is absolutely killing me. Plan is for about 10 years in the future, work 6-7 months full-time northern contracts then casual to not much at all May through October.

 

Shift can be great. It's 9:10am this morning and snowing pretty good. Fire is on in the basement here, and just sitting down to a cup of coffee after seeing the little one onto the bus. All is quiet. Might just do nothing all day. Work only 3 days this week. Yesterday went to see the Hobbit with the kids on their Snow Day. Once the ice is solid, it'll be just as quiet on the lakes in my Clam playing fisheogames on the Lowrance.

 

Not sure how old your kiddies are but mine get on the bus each morning by 8:00am and come back for supper. That gives dad 8 hours at least to go play, but because my oldest is older now, she can hold fort if I'm going to be later to dinner. Shift and their school, then gives the availability to basically fish most weeks 4-5 days midweek if wanting to. It's nice to pick and choose when, never feeling like I have to cram a day, two, three, or four into the week, but rather just fish or do as I please. This year, days fishing came in only about 20 days less than days working... And besides trips away, not much time gets missed with the girls. Shift is a great and free life nowadays. Have found that time is as important as money, but health and happiness more than both. I've turned down some great work opportunities in the past, just to balance more time on my side.

[fishing n autograph]

I work 12 hour shifts...2 days, 2 nights 4 days off....

 

As for tips, you do what works for you. I definitely recommend taking a nap before nights. I usually take melatonin before the first day shift so that I can get a good night sleep before work. The drive home after night shifts can be hairy. Lots of coffee and sunflower seeds to keep you awake.

[Twocoda]

i used to eat barbituates like they were candy to re-adjust ...then i finally found it easier to stay on nights for two years straight....summer time was always a pleasure to be on nights...avoided the heat but winter really sucked living by artificial light.....I havent worked shift in 15 years and im still trying to recover from it...Good Luck and congrates Gerrit...stability in life comes with a price...

[HyperActive]

For 7 years I worked all three shifts in the same week. Everyday we started at a different time somedays it was at 6:00 am after getting home at 2:00 am, then the next day we would leave at 7:00 pm and return at 4:00 am, somedays we literally went home for a shower and had to leave again, if I was lucky I would squeeze enough time off my shower to make a sandwich. I always found the hottest shower I could possibly stand followed by a 5 second blast of cold water helped me fall asleep quickly.

[crappieperchhunter]

 

 

But however it will be 12 hour shifts on a rapid rotation... 2 days of days, 2 days off, 3 days of nights...2 days off back to days...

 

 

 

Some here are questioning this. Having worked 4 different 12 hour shift variations. I can tell you that this rotation is by far the best for your health in my opinion. Every time you walk out the door at work you come back in on the opposite shift after your days off. It sounds brutal but here is why it is better and has been proven to be better.

 

The old standard is a static 2 week rotation of days and then a 2 week rotation of nights. It's all cookies and cream for your 2 weeks of days. Then you hit nights. Your body tries to adjust to nights for your 2 or 3 working shifts and then tries to adjust back to days on your days off in between then back to nights for your next 2 or 3 shifts then back to days etc etc until you get through your 2 weeks of that rotation. Switching it up means you tough it out for your 2 or 3 working nights and then your body is on days for a week.

 

This was my 4 week rotation. Is yours anything similar G?

 

S-off M-days T-days W-off Th-off F-nights Sat-nights

S-nights M-off T-off W-days Th-days F-off Sat-off

S-off M-nights T-nights W-off Th-off F-days Sat-days

S-days M-off T-off W-nights Th-nights F-off Sat-off

 

If you look at it and think about it you will notice the benefits. You work your nights shifts and then your body gets to go back on days for an entire WEEK. Then you work your nights and your body gets to go back on days again for an entire week. The only time your body is really on nights is while you are working. When our company proposed this rotation we ALL hated the idea. No one wanted to do it. The company was sure it was a better choice so they agreed that we could try it for 6 months and then vote on whether to continue with it or go back to the old 2 weeks days/nights rotation. After 6 months we voted and I was one of the workers on the floor who got to count the votes. Only 3 people wanted to go back to the old rotation.

 

If your rotation is the same or something similar G..you have the best 12 hour rotation out there IMHO.

[Gerritt]

Some here are questioning this. Having worked 4 different 12 hour shift variations. I can tell you that this rotation is by far the best for your health in my opinion. Every time you walk out the door at work you come back in on the opposite shift after your days off. It sounds brutal but here is why it is better and has been proven to be better.

 

The old standard is a static 2 week rotation of days and then a 2 week rotation of nights. It's all cookies and cream for your 2 weeks of days. Then you hit nights. Your body tries to adjust to nights for your 2 or 3 working shifts and then tries to adjust back to days on your days off in between then back to nights for your next 2 or 3 shifts then back to days etc etc until you get through your 2 weeks of that rotation. Switching it up means you tough it out for your 2 or 3 working nights and then your body is on days for a week.

 

This was my 4 week rotation. Is yours anything similar G?

 

S-off M-days T-days W-off Th-off F-nights Sat-nights

S-nights M-off T-off W-days Th-days F-off Sat-off

S-off M-nights T-nights W-off Th-off F-days Sat-days

S-days M-off T-off W-nights Th-nights F-off Sat-off

 

If you look at it and think about it you will notice the benefits. You work your nights shifts and then your body gets to go back on days for an entire WEEK. Then you work your nights and your body gets to go back on days again for an entire week. The only time your body is really on nights is while you are working. When our company proposed this rotation we ALL hated the idea. No one wanted to do it. The company was sure it was a better choice so they agreed that we could try it for 6 months and then vote on whether to continue with it or go back to the old 2 weeks days/nights rotation. After 6 months we voted and I was one of the workers on the floor who got to count the votes. Only 3 people wanted to go back to the old rotation.

 

If your rotation is the same or something similar G..you have the best 12 hour rotation out there IMHO.

 

Almost identical I have some weeks with 3 days off, some with two... And alot of overtime available.... They do something called averaging, which we had to sign a form for.. I understand and it seems more then fair. My hours are averaged out over two weeks. so If I wish to pick up overtime I am best to do it during the 36 hour cycle.

 

I want to thank everyone for their advice, It has been helpful. I know I can handle this as I could fall asleep standing up (and have) 3 days of training out of 8 under my belt...... safety safety safety.

 

Thanks again folks,

 

I have printed off this whole thread for future reference.

 

G

Edited December 19, 2012 by Gerritt

[mistaredone]

Worst part for me was waking up every day and not knowing if it was 6 am or pm. Doesn't sound like much but it would really mess with my head. Good luck!

[dhickey]

Congrats on the new job sounds like a good one

I myself have never worked shifts but do have a couple friends that have for the past 20yrs.

The key thing with them is after their shift they eat then sleep on the turn they go till they drop then prep for next shift.

They also watch what they eat.Mainly nothing but heathy food no fast or proccesed food and they dont drink/ coffey/caffene.

 

Keep your body cleen and you will be fine.

 

They also work out at a gym at least 2wice a week.

 

It will be hard at first but go for it you wont regret it.

 

You can DO IT!

 

Good luck Gerrit

 

Don.

[jdm66]

Hi Gerrit,congrats on the new job.Is your new employment in Belleville? It sounds like the plant I started at.I worked there for 10 years before transfering to Brockville 18 years ago.Best advice I can give you,as others have pointed out,blacken your bedroom with heavy black curtains or material.Wear earplugs,it helps a great deal.Eat light,fresh fruit,toast, yogurt, cereal.Limit your caffine intake if you can,or you will be waking to make multiple trips to the bathroom.The evening before starting nights,I stay up as late as I can watching Tv,then sleeping in as long as possible.If you have any other questions feel free to PM me. John

Edited December 19, 2012 by jdm66