If you or someone you know works nights - what do you/they do?

[TiredPony]

I'm so grateful for all the night workers in the NHS and the other emergency services for working nights to keep us safe and well, but I'm wondering what other night workers there are that are hidden from view.

The reason for my post is pretty mundane. I ordered something yesterday which is being delivered tomorrow. I've been tracking the delivery, it left the factory at 5am and at 10.30 this evening has left the transport hub. So at 5am there was someone in the factory processing my unimportant (in the scheme of things - not to me!) package and at 10.30pm someone is driving it the length of the country. It's just something I've never given thought to and has made me wonder what other work people do at night while the rest of us sleep.

My husband works the occasional night as a doctor.
My cousin used to work at Sainsbury’s and used to work nights there stacking shelves.
Taxi drivers work nights, lorry drivers, hotel staff etc.

I work in a department store, moving things, merchandising, dressing the mannequins etc. Its twilight or nightshift. Not essential like the emergency services obviously but I like it and the pay is quite good for retail. Its meant no childcare costs. I worked in accounts pre kids and needed different hours to tie in with dh and school pick ups etc.

I work in retail. I don't work nights but many of my colleagues do. The pay is better and it is more efficient. You get a lot more done in an empty shop

I work nights as a taxi operator. I'm gradually swapping my nights for more reasonable hours because I've been doing it for 2 years now, it's wearing very thin indeed.

My friend worked for a media monitoring service overnight, getting clips ready from the next day's papers. Probably more automated these days.

As a student I worked 12 hour night shifts in a pork pie factory. A lot of food factories run 24 hours a day.

I worked nights as a care worker and then as a nurse. My dad worked nights all his life at Fords.

I’m a nurse so I’ve worked a lot of nights over the years. Most NHS services have some night cover - not just nurses but porters, x-ray, theatres, all have night cover. Physios do on-calls to come in if a patient needs chest physio. I always find it weird when I’m driving home to bed and everyone else is just starting their day!

DH works as an operations manager for an airline he does shift work that involves nights, years ago I was cabin crew and often did night flights.

As a student I worked night shifts cleaning planes (the interiors) at our local airport.

Munitions factory. I don’t work there but my husband does and they have a night shift

I used to work nights sometimes as a care worker.
My friend works nights as an air traffic controller.

I work evenings and nights for the emergency services.

DH does night shifts in the winter as a gritter and clearing roads.

Friend works in an aerospace factory.

Police dispatcher here

As a student I worked nights in an aquarium! I looked after the baby animals that needed 24hr care as it had a breeding programme. It was a fab job.

DF worked nights (inc Xmas night) baking bread.

I use to work in a Petrol station on night shifts
Taxis
Career
PIlot/air hostess/airport staff
Security
Emergency services
Emergency operators
Asda
McDonald's
Coast guards
Seven bridge toll booths
Bar staff in clubs
Many cleaners
Factory workers

I work for a very well known clothing company doing quality control. Would rather not work nights but at least this way, we don't have to rely on friends/ family or pay out for childcare for youngest

Police call handler

Sibling 1 drives ambulances
Sibling 2 was a care assistant (now drives patient transport ambulances so daytime and evenings only)
Sibling 3 in armed forces
Next door neighbour is a driver's mate delivering stuff for superdrug I think
Uncle drives lorries
Husband used to be a security guard
Friend volunteers for Samaritans

I do 25 hour shifts in a home for teenagers in care, staff go to bed at 11.00 then start again at 7.00. Not literally working during the night unless kids go missing or are up, but we're here on duty while they're in bed

I used to work as a taxi controller. Had to give up as having babies and 6am finishes doesn't work, especially as I worked 50 hours a week at the time.

I do nightshift (police)

H has a company that manufactures 24 hours a day.

I used to work night shifts on an oil rig. (Including Christmas Eve once!)
My shift pattern varied, so sometimes I was on nights, sometimes days, and sometimes in between (12 to 12 for eg).

I really didn't cope with it well at all, tbh, especially moving from one shift to a different one. I find that changing my sleeping patterns make me feel like shit, even now I don't work those shifts anymore I get a migraine if I mess with my sleep too much!

I work shifts including nights in a police custody suite (not a police officer). Nights are my favourite shift although it's usually the busiest shift, and the one you get the most abuse/violence.

DH is a police officer (he wooed me over the chargebar) so he does nightshifts too.

Its not very often our shifts are the same so we don't cross paths at work very often.