Night shift hints and tips...

[PurpleReigns]

I’ve got a job opportunity, it’s really good and pays well, however it’s nights only. As many or as few as I want.

I’m a single mum with 3 children, 15, 12 and 10.

Looking for your best tips to make this work please! Shifts are 8pm to 8am

Black out curtains.
Note in your window telling delivery folks not to knock to give you parcels for 3 doors down.

School holidays coming up, kids need to be out or quiet.. what are the chances of either of these?
Summer is coming, ear plugs because of:
Kids playing...loudly
Lawnmowers
People chatting/shouting/ partying

Get a good fan, it’s hot in summer in the day trying to sleep.

Paracetamol for constant headaches/foggy head.

Good coffee, really good coffee, your going to need it.

Be prepared for little or less sleep than you are used to.

Good luck.

I have done nights in the past for two weeks at a time. I never quite got the hang of when my free time was. I seemed to be continually thinking about when I had to go to work after getting up. And thinking it was weird to leave the building at 6/7am and be back in it the same day at 8pm. That's probably just me though.
It does take some getting used to with when to eat meals etc but in time you should get into a routine.

I used to get in, and treat it like my "evening"
So I would have something to eat, watch an episode of a TV programme, shower and head to bed. Some people preferred straight to bed then getting up earlier
Take something for the 3-5am slump. Sweets, bottle of pop/orange juice, an apple/banana, whatever perks you up
Nights are mostly work, sleep, eat, repeat

Ear plugs . I work 3 nights a week . During summer esp these are useful as people are up and out during the day . It's noisy .
D
💯 fan and black out curtains or blinds .
I love having pretty much 4 days a week off .
The pharmacy can sell you phenegan
I take two before bed after my first shift so I get a really decent days sleep . Then I take two on my first day off so I can switch my body clock back around . Works great .

@QueenPaw

I used to get in, and treat it like my "evening" So I would have something to eat, watch an episode of a TV programme, shower and head to bed. Some people preferred straight to bed then getting up earlier Take something for the 3-5am slump. Sweets, bottle of pop/orange juice, an apple/banana, whatever perks you up Nights are mostly work, sleep, eat, repeat

I didn't feel like I had time to do normal things on the day after a night shift but did get more done on the days after my nights off.

How many days on/off is it @PurpleReigns?

Ear plugs is a great shout! I can choose how many so trying to work out what would be a good way to balance work / home / kids

How will you manage childcare? Some of my colleagues have struggled with getting people to look after their kids overnight.

If that's not a problem it's definitely worth giving it a try.

Beware of the 4am slump, I'm always reaching for the chocolate around then!

@PurpleReigns

Ear plugs is a great shout! I can choose how many so trying to work out what would be a good way to balance work / home / kids

I did 4 on 3 off which was doable, I just did everything I could in the 3 off. The 4 on was literally sleep/work.

I didn't have school age children to consider, would they be alone overnight with the 15 year old in charge? Do you trust them to go to bed at a decent hour etc?

I have someone that I can pay to stay overnight. Just need to work out sleeping arrangements... do I let her have my bed or sort out a fold out bed for the living room. Not thrilled with the idea of keep changing my bed before I can get in it 😬

Sunglasses for driving home

I did a trial night shift and found it surprisingly ok whilst I was there.

I slept 3 hours before starting, then slept 4 hours when I got back. I fell asleep on the sofa for a couple of hours at 6 (had wine with a big dinner though ) then a normal nights sleep. More worried about sustaining it and getting on top of a routine

Oh and if you're driving home, try and have a coffee as late before your shift ends as possible. Windows down too, I used to put the AC on in the car and be careful

I did nights for 5 years. I'm a night owl anyway, so it suited me and I didn't have kids then. I did 6 nights on, 5 nights off which I loved. Then we moved and I took on a job with 3 on, 3 off which was awful.

I've done nights for 20+ years, albeit on a rotating shift pattern and now my personal choice of a nights and lates only rota. I'm a night owl anyway so find nights quite easy.
Not so great in the winter mind, get a vit D supplement for the winter!
How many nights will you do? I prefer all together rather than an odd night here and there.
Will you sleep the day before a night?
As for the sleeping arrangement, get a camp bed, do not underestimate how much you will need your bed after a shift.
What's the job?

Try to get your shifts together. Nothing worse than night on , night off, night on, night off.

The sleep for the first night in, is usually (my) hardest. I do struggle to sleep and only get a couple of hours in the day before my first night. If you don't have that problem then it's fine.

A hot chocolate usually settles me down. A weighted blanket. A dark room. My curtains are thick so the room seems like night time. I recently brought a sleep mask with Bluetooth speakers in the ears and listen to a podcast as I drift off. I sometimes listen to head space too.

The tiredness hits on a night shift around 3-5am so if you can get up and do some little odd jobs to keep you awake. Sometimes chatting away with colleagues can stop you drifting off.

The reason I stated above why it's best to do nights together is because once you come off that first night you will feel tired and could probably have a good long sleep in the day making you feel ready for the night shift again. Having a day off in between means you may struggle to sleep in the day again after being off.

I've done nights and still do now for 7 years.

Thanks everyone