To absolutely hate night shifts?

[BlueRaptor]

Started work at 7pm, only now on my break. Back on days on Monday (tommorow?! That's odd) and know I'll be shattered from having done these nights.

I know it's my own fault and IABU because I knew this when I chose this job but AIBU to throw a strop about how much I hate night shifts?

Our manager would allow us to stay on nights permanently, if we wanted. I worked nights for years, as it suited family life. Sometimes the day staff would have to cover for sickness or holidays and, blimey, they complained about it. You could feel the resentment emanating from some if them, come the witching hour. We always put it down to that horrible, nauseating exhaustion we all suffered from. You never get used to nights and blimey do the pounds pile on. It's hard not to eat sugary junk food as your bobby seems to crave it.

When I did nights it used to be 7 at a time and we started at 7.45 pm - 8.15 am. I used to leave at 6 pm to get to work on time and get home the next day about 10 am. I used to feel a bit anxious and low before it started but I'd get into it and quite enjoy it really. I was young!

Summer was worst. Early sunrise made it feel longer somehow and I used to have to walk past lovely bistros with people enjoying wine and food when I was going to work! 4 - 5 am was the worst time for me and you definitely need tea/coffee and chocolate and crisps at that time!

When my daughter arrived I worked nights around her nursery days but she had split days of Tuesday, Thursday and Friday's so I had to do Monday and Wednesday night and sleep when she was in nursery and a weekend shift to make up my hours. This was a far worse pattern and I didn't know if I was coming or going.

The best thing about nights is fewer interfering powers that be are around and tucking yourself up in bed on a cold day when everyone else is heading to work!

I work 10pm- 6am, into uni for 9:30am-4:30pm. I survive on about 4hrs sleep a day, been doing it for over a year and it's really starting to catch up with me.

I'm on my 4th night . I do 4 on 4 off, permanent contract. I chose a night position as DP works days and this way we don't need childcare for the 3 school age dc's. However, I can't wait till they're older and I can get a day post. Working nights really does take its toll on the body.
Witching hour for me is usually 5am, then I have and to see me through.

What jobs are you all in? I did nights a few years back when I worked in security in a museum. Three nights on (6pm-7am) three nights off. It was pretty brutal.
I only had a 20 min commute though, some of my colleagues were travelling in from Kent/Essex to central London to do those shifts. And one had 3 kids under 6!! I honestly don't know how they coped.
Solidarity and caffeine to all.

I worked 5 years solid doing night shifts (in night clubs) even now, over a year on I struggle to sleep at night. It messes with your body clock something rotten. Dh still does nights, he hates it. Worst bit for me was going into a work in a summer evening at 6pm in the light, and not emerging until 5-6 am when the sun was coming up.

Oh God, I feel for you! I did nights for years because of my family commitments. It NEARLY KILLED ME looking back. I always used to think we should work shifts like the police....2pm-10pm....10 pm- 6am and 6am - 2pm.

Just staying up all night was hard enough but having to concentrate and make decisions....I have no idea how I did it but I'm mightily glad I don't anymore!

I was a nurse btw. My sister was a police officer and I always envied her shift pattern. Even worse, I'd go to bed following a night and had to be up at 1pm to collect DS from nursery. I'm sure it aged me literally "overnight".

i was a nurse for many years ephemeral my night shifts were 7-45pm -7-45 am usually four nights in a row but occasionally six if you got a crap off duty i did nights permanently for three yrs for child care reasons but when ds was diagnosed with autism and learning disabillities they insisted i still had tio work 12 weeks of night a yr which i couldnt do so i ended up leaving good old NHS.

X2Boys. Same here. I was a nurse for 25 years. Did nights for 7 yrs. when my Ex left DS was 4 (had just been diagnosed with autism) and I still managed to do the nights as he'd come "sit" overnight. When Ex said he could no longer come I had to leave nursing as days didn't fit for me.

I don't miss the wards one bit. I was a community sister for ten yrs and miss that every day.