How to survive night shifts!?

[StrawberryPi]

I have been seconded from my job into a role that involves a mix of day and night shifts. I have never done a night shift before, bar a bit of festival work in my late teens, and I am so nervous!!

The pattern will be a few day shifts in a row, followed by a few days off, then a few night shifts and then a few more days off.

Can you please give me your best night working tips!? I'm talking when to eat and drink, when to sleep, caffeine, exercise and etc - basically anything that might help me get used to this way of working!! Thanks

I have my tea as normal before work. Before I start my first night I try and go back to bed for a couple of hours and have a little doze. I take a sandwich or light meal in for about midnight to 1am and a cereal bar for 5ish because I sometimes feel a bit hungry around then. I then get home and go straight to bed until around 4pm. Keep busy in work and it will be fine, it’s when it’s quiet the struggle to stay awake starts.

Same as ciwi basically, with the addition of a walk at every break time. In bad weather we tramp the corridors.
Also try and remain constantly busy, if things are slow then time definitely drags.

Thanks folks! Sounds like I am trying to over complicate things a bit!

3/4 am is the worst for me. I took a high energy snack for then such as a peanut butter sandwich. Also stay hydrated with water. I ate my dinner at work about 9 pm to keep me going. And I would have breakfast before going to bed in the morning. I also would get so cold during the day when sleeping I made sure I was wrapped up to help me stay asleep. Keep water next to your bed so you limit getting up. Get a black out blind if you struggle to sleep when it is light and the last day after your night shift go to sleep only for a couple of hours max so you are tired enough to get straight back into sleeping that night. Start taking vit D too

Night shifts really aren't as bad as you fear.

I find that optimising my day sleeping is really important. If I don’t follow my own advice I sleep lightly and wake up feeling awful. Sunglasses after the shift on the way home, black out blind, white noise machine (or app), decent silicone ear plugs and go to bed as soon as poss after getting home (quick meal with carbs and protein then straight to bed). Makes a huge difference to me!

Also you get used to them quickly and it gets easier

Thanks all! You've made me feel much better