Any NHS shift workers out there- can I cope with nights?

[Peachypips78]

Hi all. I am currently a B6 middle manager in the NHS (MH Trust) - non-clinical. I really miss patient-facing work and there is a job working on the First Response Team as a telecoach.

I know I would love the job- I've shadowed for a morning and before my current job I worked in an acute ward, so I can handle the distress.

My one worry is nights- I've never done them before and there is one week in six where I will be on three nights. I'm 42 and have two children aged 10 and 13.

Will I cope? Any advice?

I’m nhs . Did nights for many years . I found I slept very badly during the day so never coped well with them . Used to dread them . I don’t do them anymore

I did permanent nights for 5 years - loved it, but I slept well. Will you be able to sleep undisturbed in the daytime?

I do mani lay nights at the moment for various reasons, anyway I find them absolutely fine, I make sure I don't do things on the days, a lot of my colleagues try to achieve day jobs on their I between days and generally feel rubbish.

I nap for a couple of hours before my first night then make sure I allow myself a straight 8 hours in which to sleep. The day after my last night I sleep till I wake up, usually tea time, have tea, watch tv for a bit then go back to bed. I never plan anything for the day after a night and don't feel like I'm losing a day if I sleep all day.
I'm 46 with teens.

3 nights in 6 weeks should be manageable. I'm 47, 2 teens and an 11 yr old. I work 13 hour shifts(band 7, clinical, NHS) and have no set shift pattern. My weeks usually involve a day and two nights, and a quick switch between the two. Not at all ideal, but it's how it is!
Nightshifts take a bit of forward planning-mealtimes for example, as I try to plan my meals do I don't end up snacking through the night. I tend to have a normal day before a night, try for an hour or so nap late afternoon and then push on through... The pleasure of getting into bed after a nightshift is unlike anything else!
I wouldn't be put off the role by the nights, but I am very used to doing them. They are obviously tiring, but it sounds as though you won't be doing too many. Good luck!

Night shifts make me feel sick, tearful and scatty. I did a brief stint on a ward when I qualified, and have worked days ever since.

They aren't for everyone, depend on if you can sleep well in the day. Even if I slept I still felt jet lagged.

I wouldn't do a night shift now for triple time

Three nights every 6weeks isn't too bad. As long as you can have kind of relaxing days and get sleep where you can you'll be fine. Don't try and do too much during the day. Your kids are if an age that they know you're trying to sleep and should be able to be quiet. Earplugs and decent blackout blinds will help too.

I worked nights for a few years. I did not mind the night shift at all and I coped really well with sleeping in the day.

What I absolutely struggled with and the reason I stopped was I hated going out to work once my family was at home and enjoying the evening, I really felt i was missing out with them, it was the worst feeling for me.

I worked night for 15 years ..... 4 on then 10 off.... fitted in with the kids when they were little....but at a cost to my health.....I would never do again

I would avoid night shift work at all costs.

www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/17/breast-cancer-night-shifts-denmark

And yes, I do realise that someone has to do it. But having worked for the NHS for 20 years I am certain that the amount of night work could be significantly reduced and rationalised, and far better compensated both in terms of rest and recompense.

Serious research is needed to see how you can compensate for the very serious threats to health that are associated with night working.

I wouldn’t if I were you, nights make me ill so I no longer do them, they also make my anxiety awful

Advice:
Blackout curtains especially in summer.

Consider school holidays, kids are noisy, active in all holidays, accept that sleep will be disturbed and disturbed often during school holidays.

School will ring you to pick up poorly kids, you can’t turn your phone off so it will ring and disturb you (unless you have a partner who can step up) after picking poorly kids up, you have to look after them then go to work that night.

Resign to just work, sleep, work sleep during your nights on. No other life.

School run is torture. Just torture. Little sleep, people want to speak you you in the playground.
I hate people even more than usual when on nights.

Put a sign up in your window for delivery drivers...say NO, I don’t want to take in a parcel for the house 3 down from me. OR just “night shift worker, please don’t disturb “.

Personally it made me physically unwell, brain fog, memory problems, headaches, nausea, dizzy spells. But nights fitted in well with young kids.

Good luck, nights are not for the faint hearted.

the only way to negate the health issues of nightshifts is if soomeone only does night shifts, so you just change your sleep pattern. On/off night shifts are terrible, especially if youre not someone who can nap during the day

3 nights once every 6 weeks sounds like a reasonable compromise to get back to a clinical role.

Hmmm mixed reviews. For those of you that would never do nights again- were you doing more than three nights in six weeks?

We have an attic room with complete blackout velum windows, and very high so wouldn't be disturbed. Can also sleep in day easily.

However the health issues are really worrying.

I coped ok with it, did it for a decade
2 days, 3 nights, 4 days off then 3 days, 2 nights. 12hr shifts

NHS ITU. I've been doing night shifts for 20 years. You get used to it altho having a nanny to sort the kids helps.

I love my nights. Best advice I can give is when your done get a decent breakfast before you go to sleep. You will ALWAYS wake up hungry around lunchtime if you don’t.

This is great - thank you all. I'm making a note of the tips.

I'm a police officer, not on shift any more, but I actually miss nights! I'm a natural night owl.

When I was going from night to night I would go straight to bed and sleep for as long as I wanted. If I inadvertently woke up around lunchtime I'd go back to bed for a couple of hours at about 5.

Coming off my last night into days off I'd give myself 4 hours then get up and go about the day.

Working nights (midwife) would always make me feel unwell. I would feel physically sick throughout my stint, and have an upset stomach and ridiculous amounts of wind. They call is 'night belly'. I gave them up luckily with a new role. I was on them about every 3-4 weeks. I am unwell now with a bug, and it reminds me of how I felt working nights. A few people I worked with really liked them though.

54 been permanent nights for 12 years.

either sleep in late or have an afternoon nap before your 1st night
blackout curtains
electric blanket to warm your bed before you get in. you can really feel bone cold after nights and find it difficult to warm up. this helps
breakfast before going to bed
Note on door 'no cold callers or parcels for other houses'

I work permanent nights...I’m a natural night owl so nights suit me, but I know some people just can’t do them.

@Branleuse permanent night shift categorically does not negate the health issues associated with working night shifts. The most serious effects are biological, in response to being awake in the wrong half of the circadian cycle.

Thanks for the tips. Do you think I would avoid health complications if I was only doing 2-3 nights in six weeks?

I'm an A+E sister and have worked nights for 24 years. I couldn't do days.

It works for me and our Family. I do 3 on and 3 off.

The extra money is obviously good too