coping with nightshift

[Imacanyone]

I have been night shift almost exclusively for the last 10 years. I would echo Mike Phillips and Imacanyone"s advice. Routine is key.

For me, I had to adjust my eating habits. I am a thin framed guy and gained 20lbs the first year (not adjusting my diet and lack of routine). That scared me to the core on how easy it was for me to pick up weight (especially that I had been the same weight more or less since my high school days in the 1980's).

So for me,
*establish a proper sleep routine (Go to sleep immediately when I get home)
*Make time to work out (I go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week)
*Adjust your eating habits. I finish my last meal before 8pm. I drink water throughout the night and 1 cup of coffee about 3 hours before the end of my shift.
*Finally, understand that while you can adjust your habits to fit into this schedule you will always fight your body's natural tendency to want to sleep (we are diurnal animals not nocturnal)

almost EXACTLY what i do.

 

[ConeArrow27]

I worked my last night shift Thursday night! Back to day shift on Monday morning! Now I can get back to enjoying life! Detailing part time will be so much easier now!

 

[cardaddy]

I worked my last night shift Thursday night! Back to day shift on Monday morning! Now I can get back to enjoying life! Detailing part time will be so much easier now!

Sound's like you made friends with the right people! :xyxthumbs:

 

[wytstang]

forgive my lack of reading this thread...this may have been suggested

Melatonin 10mg can buy any store that sells natural supplements

this is a natural substance produced by the body to help sleep.. take this and you will be asleep within 30 mins. I have had troubles sleeping because I'm constantly thinking about ideas I have and whatnot.

5 yrs on 3rd shift and like has mentioned it has to be a life style to make it work. I make it as normal as possible. You wouldn't go right to bed after work if you worked 1 shift so why do it on 3rd? sleep for a few hrs then what, up for 16+ hrs? No thanks I'll stay up 4 or 5 hrs after getting off of work then sleep 7 hrs straight to wake up and go to work. 6 to 9 mg of melatonin, black out curtains (great investment for anyone working nights), and the most important thing is a routine of when I go to sleep and when I wake up. Routine routine routine.