Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

If you/someone you knows works night shifts...

43 replies

BretonStripe · 03/09/2018 14:13

What hours do you/they sleep in the day? Just wondering because someone I know works 10pm - 6am six days a week (at the moment) then is pretty much in bed 7am - 8pm? I don't think it's right, can't be good for their mental health etc so wondered what others thought...

OP posts:

stellabird · 04/09/2018 00:24

Why wouldn't it be good for their mental health ?

I've done night shift for years. Work 10pm - 7am, 5 nights per week. When we have needed extra money I work on the other 2 nights as well. I like it, night shift suits me and I can sleep all day. I often sleep for 10 hours, 9am until about 7pm. It all depends on what is going on with the family - DH cooks dinner and wakes me at 7pm to eat.

Everyone is different - you can't assume that anyone is doing it hard or doing it easy. Nights pay well and for some it's an easy shift. It's fine for me.

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 04/09/2018 05:46

I did nights and early morning finishes until 5 years ago. Start 1300-1900, finish anytime between midnight and 1000. Then my blood pressure went through the roof, and now my starts are 0600-1200, with a day length of less than 12 hours. I would never get more than 5 hours sleep, and quite often I'd sleep at work while waiting for the load.

Idontmeanto · 04/09/2018 05:54

Dh has worked shifts, 8-8 in the past, with 1 hour commute either side. No, it’s not good for physical or mental health, yes he was in bed pretty much all the time at home. (He used to get up to do bath and story for 6pm when the kids were small.) The quality of sleep in the day is much poorer and broken. It was exhausting.
I suggest you take a supportive and gentle approach, don’t phone in the day. If this person lives with you keep the noise down and don’t judge.

Original poster

BretonStripe · 04/09/2018 07:55

Thanks for all the responses.

The reason I posted was because I was concerned about him (didn't want to out myself but sod it - it's my stepson). Yes he's been living with us. I am worried he's not seeing daylight and it'll only get worse as winter approaches. He is always tired. He spends most of the day in his room so doesn't talk to anyone. He then works a lot of shifts alone.

I worked 8pm-5am 6 days a week for a summer when I was 20 and couldn't do it for any longer than that. Like you all say, the quality of sleep during the day is poor. Felt like I was missing out on a lot, tho I worked in a busy bar with friends.

Oh and I would never judge someone I love, and I absolutely try to keep the noise to a minimum when he's trying to sleep, but it's not easy when you have two small children in the house (I try to take them out as much as I can but it's been tricky in the summer holidays as some days we want to be at home).

Seems around 7hrs sleep, broken or solid, is the average on this thread.

I don't know how you all do it - I take my hat of to you!

OP posts:

Largepiecesofcrookedwood · 04/09/2018 08:20

I worked nights for years and I can categorically tell you that 8 hours of sleep in the day is very different to 8 hours sleep at night

negomi90 · 04/09/2018 08:28

When I'm on nights I work, get home, shower, bed stay in bed until time to get ready for work.
I'm exhausted because the sleep quality isn't as good (and I'm most hours to pee)
I know that when I'm on nights I'm on nights and can do nothing else.
I don't know how people with kids/pets do it.
Everyone has different ways of coping with nights. Stay out of it (and continue trying to be considerate with your littles. :) )

Mummysharkdoodoodoo · 04/09/2018 08:29

My husband gets in at 7am and will sleep until 12.30/1 then is up for the day.

Rinceoir · 04/09/2018 08:32

When I did nights I would do 4 nights one week, 4 days and 3 nights the following. It’s a horrible shift pattern. I worked from around 830pm-930am. With a 40 minute commute each way. So usually would get to bed sometime between 1030-11. Broken sleep until 4/5. Shower, Nursery pick up, prepare meals for the night and leave for work again at 730 or so. Poor sleep quality and busy nights made for severe exhaustion!

Asuna · 04/09/2018 08:34

Everyone is different with night shift working. Some of my colleagues sleep from the end of the shift (9am, so maybe getting in at 9.30-10) till 6pm. Some people do it in two stints, so sleep till early afternoon, get up for a bit, and then go back to bed around 5-6 for a couple of hours. I personally go to bed as soon as I get in, sleep well initially, but if I wake up any time after 1pm I can’t get back to sleep. 4 hours is usual, occasionally 5-6. Luckily I don’t have to do them often, because every time I do I basically lose one full night of sleep added up across my shifts.

If he’s found something that works for him, he should just keep doing it.

Sarahani · 04/09/2018 09:02

I used to work 8pm to 8.30am and would sleep 10am-5pm - longer if possible. My last night shift before going back to days I would get up at 2pm ish but be completely unable to function.

Night are very unsociable and bad for your health!

AlexaAmbidextra · 04/09/2018 09:50

I used to work 8pm to 8am so home in bed by about 9.30am and sleep until 4pm. I could easily have slept until later but hated getting up and having to get ready to go straight to work.

isthismylifenow · 04/09/2018 09:57

A good friend works 6pm - 6am 7 nights a week, but works a few weeks on few weeks off situation.

He is usually asleep by 8am and wakes around 4.30pm. Initially I thought it was a lot of sleep, but 12 hour 7 day takes it toll after a while.

He doesnt socialize at all during work time, but is fortunate to have to time off to do that.

Babyroobs · 04/09/2018 22:09

I used to work mostly night shifts but would usually only sleep from about 8am - 2pm as I'd usually have to get up for picking the kids up from school.

milafawny · 04/09/2018 22:11

I work 8pm-8am 4-5 nights per week and sleep 9.30-4pm, atleast i try to. Less if im not working again that night

Methe · 04/09/2018 22:13

I used to finish at 8am, be asleep for half 8 and awake about 3. My sleep when I worked nights was amazing - out like a light!

SleepingBooty · 04/09/2018 22:16

DJ does 6-6 days and nights. When on night shift he is in bed by 7am and wakes 3-4pm, sometimes earlier if he has to pick the kids up from school. He wakes around lunchtime after his last night shift to acclimatise to sleeping at nights again.

MrsJBaptiste · 04/09/2018 22:19

Bloody Hell, all these night shift workers that get a good sleep the next day!

DH works shifts - 2 days / 2 nights then 4 off and when on nights, he gets in at 6am and usually has 4-5 hours sleep. He just can't sleep properly although I do wonder if it's because he can't getting the pattern of nights, 2 out of 8 isn't enough for your body to adjust.

He got in at 6am this morning, woke up at 10.30 and is at work now until 6am in the morning. I really worry about his drive home on so little sleep 😯

thebeesknees123 · 04/09/2018 22:26

I thought it might be a family member.

Yes, I agree with you. He is just sleeping and working, isn't he? He is young and should be out meeting people.

I know a few who work nights. I work a couple of late evenings with them to 11 ish then go home. I am not envious of them staying on til 6am. They are always grumpy and I don't blame them. A lot of them go off sick quite often and the staff turnover for night shift is very, very high. Most do it short term for the extra money.

One or two really seem to enjoy it but, mostly, few and far between.

Flip

1 2