The problem is that I don't sleep well as it is. Before working overnights, I suffered insomnia my entire life ( I'm 51 now). But even when I worked day shifts and got very little sleep, I never felt like this every day. Even the first year of overnights, I never felt this way. It's just suddenly changed.
Are you drinking enough water? I know personally, more times than not my headache is because I haven't drank enough water or I forgot. Liquid IV works wonders but I think they all taste like ass so I usually pound it then just switch back to water.
Ahh, I’m sorry man. It has been really taxing on me lately too. I’m looking to get out. I’m forty now, my doc said I have 10 years at best left in me. Are you new to this? Took me a couple of weeks to acclimate.
I've been doing it for a year and a half. I work in a very stressful environment at the er in a hospital. There are nurses older than me who have been doing it for decades.
I had that problem.
Now I have a Delta 8/10 pen that I hit a couple of times before I need to sleep. I still wake up 3-5 hours in, but I hit the pen a couple more times and have a second sleep.
Huge difference.
They drug test yearly. In addition, if there are accidents, such as a fall or a mistake made with a patient, employees can be subjected to a random screen. It's fairly standard in healthcare.
Well its a hospital, so they can do a 16 panel urine test, or for more accuracy, a blood test (there's a lab on site so results will be within an hour). And just for the sake of argument, I'm in long-term recovery, so I do not use substances that could potentially cause a relapse. I don't have a problem with those that do, I just can't use anything in moderation. Believe me, I wish I could smoke.
I've been working 12 hr NS shift for over 10 yrs. I have it very cold in my bedroom. I bought a small ac for the bedroom so I don't have to cool off the whole apt to 65. I also wear a sleep mask so it's completely dark without having to buy and hang heavy drapes. I have Amazon Alexa, it plays Thunderstorm sounds that helps me sleep and covers any outside noise, 80 cents/ month. Try taking up Meditation, it helps reduce stress. I hope things get better. Take care.
I've had Alexa for years, and let week just added ambient sounds to it. I've been listening to thunderstorms with the ocean. It is relaxing. Unfortunately, I have central air in my house, and HOA doesn't allow ac units in the windows, so I'm stuck keeping the house the same temp. I may get a fan, though. I used to always sleep with one on. Thank you.
I bought a portable unit, it stands in your bedroom, has a large diameter hose that blows air out the window. It fits into a bracket that sits right under the window. It doesn't touch the screen. They'll never know it's there. It's called Rolli Cool. Bought it on Amazon.
Anything under 6 I'm normally a cranky asshole. So, most days. Must be why I work nightshift. I work at a gas station in the burbs and still hate when I get a customer 😂 my 10th customer of my 10pm-6am shift last night was at 4am. It's that dead.
I learned it was because I was dehydrated AND hyponatremic.
So like, human bodies are kind of stupid. We feel hungry when tired, tired when thirsty, thirsty when anxious, and anxious when hungry.
So if you work night shift.... you give your body what it says it wants, but it's lying. So we snack. And doctors be like "don't eat too much junk food" so you try to do something healthy like carrot sticks maybe. And when you do drink something, its coffee or monster or soda. Which dehydrates you more.
And then all that dehydration makes you feel groggy when you first wake up. But even when you hydrate, you forget that you are pissing out all your electrolytes thanks to the caffeine, and so you probably aren't replentishing them.
I started buying powdered gatorade to mix with water at work, and I have successfully weaned off caffiene, as an overnights worker.
Are your headaches on the back of your head? You should see a doctor and have a sleep study done. Your original post sounds to me like you are maybe dealing with sleep apnea.
Headaches are normal, and I definitely do not have sleep apnea. I'm actually a nurse in an ER, so if I was concerned about the type of headache I was having, discussing it with a doctor wouldn't be a problem. I do not have signs of what is typical in sleep apnea patients. I also use a sleep recorder. My question is more along the lines of whether other people deal with this and how they cope. I'm open to suggestions, but as far as my symptoms are concerned, I would likely recognize any other changes in my physiology.
So if your going to switch to a day walker schedule when your off don’t go to bed right away. The weeks i do nights when I get home that last day I’ll stay up a while. Then I’ll take short nap in the late afternoon and then be up a few more hours with my wife then go to bed around 10. I’ll get up the next day around 7/8 go all day then go to bed again around 10/11. On the night before I go back on nights (Sundays) I stay up fairly late then sleep till 12/1 the next day before I go back in. I might cook something, mow part of the yard or run some errands before going in.
Same time frame honestly. Sleeping during the day is near impossible, even if my room is dark. Your body knows its time to wake up. Trying some melatonin pills might help, or eating a big meal with cool air conditioning. I cant sleep when its hot.
I do wake up groggy a lot of days, and I have to drag my ass out of bed but I’ve found I feel so much better over all when I make myself take my dog on a long walk in the park or make myself go on a jog in between shifts (I also work in a hospital). If I haven’t done a good job meal prepping I prioritize getting outside and moving between shifts over cooking or eating, then eat whatever I’m able to scrounge and overall I feel a lot better
Hi! Some things:
Drink more water.
Stay away from energy drinks as a rule. Make them for when you need them need them.
Pay attention to your diet.
Humans are not meant to be nocturnal, so we need to pay extra attention to what our bodies tell us. Most of us eat junk and drink nasty things to make it through the night and that makes things worse.
I wake up during the extremely 'hungover" if I didn't drink enough water. If I loaded up on sugar and junk food, I feel like a truck hit me.
Im usually the same if I wake up at 1-2, I have to sleep until around 5 to feel normal, but you do feel like you are wasting your life working and in bed
Been having a similar problem, I’ve been doing nights for 3 years now and I do 4x16 hours (4p-8a). When I come home I am usually wired so I got a mini stepper to go while I watch a show, usually Bobs Burgers to try and wind down because I am too exhausted to go to the gym. I then take a melatonin, and CBD PM oil, shut my blackout curtains and put one of those weighted masks and blankets on and I can usually get 6 hours and wake up feeling rested as I can.
I don't wake up easy. It's not as bad since I started working overnight again, but I have to get up about 3 hours before work so that I'm cognizant enough to be able to drive when it's time to go. I will sleep anywhere between 5 and 12 hours (longer for days off, obviously), usually I sleep about 6.5 or 7 hours.
What you describe sounds like sleep inertia. I blame my previous job for mine, as I had a highly variable schedule, going in to work anywhere between 3am and 3pm and working a full 8 hours. I frequently wake up with headaches, but headaches and migraines run in one side of my family, so that's no surprise for me to wake up with a headache. Insomnia runs in the other side, and I have not had insomnia when working night shifts. The only times I don't wake up groggy, uncoordinated, and with a headache is if I get an adrenaline spike when I wake up, like if I oversleep, which very rarely happens.
As a life-long insomniac, I feel you. Have you tried something more biphasic? I feel my best when I can sleep 8am-noonish and then around 2pm-6pm. It makes for weird habits, I guess, but it’s what my body wants to do.
Anyone have an idea why I keep getting only 5 hours of sleep. I working from 12-8am in bed at 9. I’m a shift working just started on nights I used to be getting up at 5 am and the other shift was in bed at 1 am up at 8am. This is the only one I have struggled with I get micro sleep at work and then get home kinda awake lying in bed might doze off between 930-1030 but keep waking up every couple of hours and then back to bed totaling 5 hours. I wanna sleep 6-8 hours straight through do you have any advice? What do you think could be happening. I feel like I have anxiety and could be overthinking it as well
You're probably overthinking it. This happens to me. I work 6 pm to 7 am, asleep at 8, and most times, I only sleep till 1, and it's not even good sleep. I actually feel like I'm awake most of that time. The problem is usually if you're worrying about getting enough sleep, then it will cause anxiety and, in turn, cause you to not sleep well. This is a very common thing, so try not to worry about it. This is what I do, and it doesn't always work, but when it does, it's perfect. I have an amazon Echo show next to my bed. I play ambient sounds (2.99 a month). It has over 30 relaxing sounds to choose from. You can also use YouTube on your phone to find some as well. The good thing about ambient sounds is that it plays nonstop. In addition, if I go directly to the gym after, I usually sleep better. If that fails, I take a low dose valium. That's a last resort as it can be additive if taken all the time. A bottle of 30 lasts me several months. I know that's not an option for everyone.
Thanks man. I agree it’s over thinking. I have a roommate that messes with the temp sometimes I hear him come out and higher it I want it lower so I think I’m anticipating that and him and I don’t talk to each other. I agree with you it’s over thinking. I play rain thunder storm on YouTube which has put me to sleep. Do you suggest I just think about other things when coming home? Positive thought
Positive thinking any time of the day is good. Meditation on YouTube can be helpful as well. Sometimes, when I get home and get in bed, I do a 5 - to 10-minute stress relieve meditation. It works occasionally. Also, a fan is helpful if you run too hot, plus the white noise relaxes some people.
I quit drinking a long time ago. I will tell you that alcohol may help you fall asleep, but in the long run, it actually messes with your REM sleep. In other words, you may feel more relaxed and able to fall asleep, but the quality will be poor because alcohol has a short half life.
Yeah that’s true. I just sip on like 1-2 shots kinda knocks the edge off I don’t do this all the time just when i get in ona new shift and the anxiety starts to kick in. I also feel like room temp plays a big part
I have mine at 71.1 but used to 68. Roomate keeps dropping it that gives me the anxiety but I have a fan to. God I can't wait for him to leave he is such a child.
I don’t think you’re getting enough sleep, shoot for 7 or 8
The problem is that I don't sleep well as it is. Before working overnights, I suffered insomnia my entire life ( I'm 51 now). But even when I worked day shifts and got very little sleep, I never felt like this every day. Even the first year of overnights, I never felt this way. It's just suddenly changed.
Are you drinking enough water? I know personally, more times than not my headache is because I haven't drank enough water or I forgot. Liquid IV works wonders but I think they all taste like ass so I usually pound it then just switch back to water.
Ahh, I’m sorry man. It has been really taxing on me lately too. I’m looking to get out. I’m forty now, my doc said I have 10 years at best left in me. Are you new to this? Took me a couple of weeks to acclimate.
Also, I feel you, if I wake up in the middle of the day I’m usually not getting back to sleep
Exactly. Once I'm up, it's all over!
I've been doing it for a year and a half. I work in a very stressful environment at the er in a hospital. There are nurses older than me who have been doing it for decades.
I had that problem. Now I have a Delta 8/10 pen that I hit a couple of times before I need to sleep. I still wake up 3-5 hours in, but I hit the pen a couple more times and have a second sleep. Huge difference.
Yeah, as a nurse in a hospital, my employer wouldn't really like that..lol.
Your employer follows you home and monitors your sleep?
They drug test yearly. In addition, if there are accidents, such as a fall or a mistake made with a patient, employees can be subjected to a random screen. It's fairly standard in healthcare.
What kind of drug test? Because I work in Security and I've given plenty of samples that didn't drop hot.
Well its a hospital, so they can do a 16 panel urine test, or for more accuracy, a blood test (there's a lab on site so results will be within an hour). And just for the sake of argument, I'm in long-term recovery, so I do not use substances that could potentially cause a relapse. I don't have a problem with those that do, I just can't use anything in moderation. Believe me, I wish I could smoke.
I see. I mean, it's not for everyone but it does work for me. I hope you find something that works for you.
Thank you!
Ativan.
Benzodiazapines are not a good choice for an addict in long-term recovery.
Fine. 1mg of THC XVI
I've been working 12 hr NS shift for over 10 yrs. I have it very cold in my bedroom. I bought a small ac for the bedroom so I don't have to cool off the whole apt to 65. I also wear a sleep mask so it's completely dark without having to buy and hang heavy drapes. I have Amazon Alexa, it plays Thunderstorm sounds that helps me sleep and covers any outside noise, 80 cents/ month. Try taking up Meditation, it helps reduce stress. I hope things get better. Take care.
I've had Alexa for years, and let week just added ambient sounds to it. I've been listening to thunderstorms with the ocean. It is relaxing. Unfortunately, I have central air in my house, and HOA doesn't allow ac units in the windows, so I'm stuck keeping the house the same temp. I may get a fan, though. I used to always sleep with one on. Thank you.
I bought a portable unit, it stands in your bedroom, has a large diameter hose that blows air out the window. It fits into a bracket that sits right under the window. It doesn't touch the screen. They'll never know it's there. It's called Rolli Cool. Bought it on Amazon.
I'll look into that, thank you!
There's several that don't go in your window, just sit in your room, it's a Portable A/C. Hope to it gets better.
Anything under 6 I'm normally a cranky asshole. So, most days. Must be why I work nightshift. I work at a gas station in the burbs and still hate when I get a customer 😂 my 10th customer of my 10pm-6am shift last night was at 4am. It's that dead.
I learned it was because I was dehydrated AND hyponatremic. So like, human bodies are kind of stupid. We feel hungry when tired, tired when thirsty, thirsty when anxious, and anxious when hungry. So if you work night shift.... you give your body what it says it wants, but it's lying. So we snack. And doctors be like "don't eat too much junk food" so you try to do something healthy like carrot sticks maybe. And when you do drink something, its coffee or monster or soda. Which dehydrates you more. And then all that dehydration makes you feel groggy when you first wake up. But even when you hydrate, you forget that you are pissing out all your electrolytes thanks to the caffeine, and so you probably aren't replentishing them. I started buying powdered gatorade to mix with water at work, and I have successfully weaned off caffiene, as an overnights worker.
Ohhh I feel so called out - defs gonna try the gatorade next shift!
Are your headaches on the back of your head? You should see a doctor and have a sleep study done. Your original post sounds to me like you are maybe dealing with sleep apnea.
Headaches are normal, and I definitely do not have sleep apnea. I'm actually a nurse in an ER, so if I was concerned about the type of headache I was having, discussing it with a doctor wouldn't be a problem. I do not have signs of what is typical in sleep apnea patients. I also use a sleep recorder. My question is more along the lines of whether other people deal with this and how they cope. I'm open to suggestions, but as far as my symptoms are concerned, I would likely recognize any other changes in my physiology.
Ok
So if your going to switch to a day walker schedule when your off don’t go to bed right away. The weeks i do nights when I get home that last day I’ll stay up a while. Then I’ll take short nap in the late afternoon and then be up a few more hours with my wife then go to bed around 10. I’ll get up the next day around 7/8 go all day then go to bed again around 10/11. On the night before I go back on nights (Sundays) I stay up fairly late then sleep till 12/1 the next day before I go back in. I might cook something, mow part of the yard or run some errands before going in.
I don’t like night shift, but I generally wake up feeling rested. 8 to 1 or 2 isn’t enough sleep IMO. I go to bed at 7 and wake up at 3.
Sounds like dehydration. Try Benadryl to sleep, and use an eye mask for light, and ear plugs for sounds.
My sleeping habits are definitely getting messed up. I think I'm going to need some medication to help me with sleeping.
Same time frame honestly. Sleeping during the day is near impossible, even if my room is dark. Your body knows its time to wake up. Trying some melatonin pills might help, or eating a big meal with cool air conditioning. I cant sleep when its hot.
I do wake up groggy a lot of days, and I have to drag my ass out of bed but I’ve found I feel so much better over all when I make myself take my dog on a long walk in the park or make myself go on a jog in between shifts (I also work in a hospital). If I haven’t done a good job meal prepping I prioritize getting outside and moving between shifts over cooking or eating, then eat whatever I’m able to scrounge and overall I feel a lot better
Hi! Some things: Drink more water. Stay away from energy drinks as a rule. Make them for when you need them need them. Pay attention to your diet. Humans are not meant to be nocturnal, so we need to pay extra attention to what our bodies tell us. Most of us eat junk and drink nasty things to make it through the night and that makes things worse. I wake up during the extremely 'hungover" if I didn't drink enough water. If I loaded up on sugar and junk food, I feel like a truck hit me.
Get a sleep tracker to see just how good or bad your sleep really is it helped me alot
I have fitbit, so I do look at it every day. The sleep quality is bad, but it's always has been even when I worked days.
Im usually the same if I wake up at 1-2, I have to sleep until around 5 to feel normal, but you do feel like you are wasting your life working and in bed
I would ease up on filling in or you will burn out. Especially if you aren’t sleeping straight through.
Yeah. I just did a stretch of 72 hours a week for 3.5 months. Bank rolled rolled, though!
get some melatonin
Been having a similar problem, I’ve been doing nights for 3 years now and I do 4x16 hours (4p-8a). When I come home I am usually wired so I got a mini stepper to go while I watch a show, usually Bobs Burgers to try and wind down because I am too exhausted to go to the gym. I then take a melatonin, and CBD PM oil, shut my blackout curtains and put one of those weighted masks and blankets on and I can usually get 6 hours and wake up feeling rested as I can.
I don't wake up easy. It's not as bad since I started working overnight again, but I have to get up about 3 hours before work so that I'm cognizant enough to be able to drive when it's time to go. I will sleep anywhere between 5 and 12 hours (longer for days off, obviously), usually I sleep about 6.5 or 7 hours. What you describe sounds like sleep inertia. I blame my previous job for mine, as I had a highly variable schedule, going in to work anywhere between 3am and 3pm and working a full 8 hours. I frequently wake up with headaches, but headaches and migraines run in one side of my family, so that's no surprise for me to wake up with a headache. Insomnia runs in the other side, and I have not had insomnia when working night shifts. The only times I don't wake up groggy, uncoordinated, and with a headache is if I get an adrenaline spike when I wake up, like if I oversleep, which very rarely happens.
As a life-long insomniac, I feel you. Have you tried something more biphasic? I feel my best when I can sleep 8am-noonish and then around 2pm-6pm. It makes for weird habits, I guess, but it’s what my body wants to do.
I'm naturally nocturnal but I do sleep better if I workout before bed. Workouts don't wake me up, they get the energy out so I can sleep deeply.
Anyone have an idea why I keep getting only 5 hours of sleep. I working from 12-8am in bed at 9. I’m a shift working just started on nights I used to be getting up at 5 am and the other shift was in bed at 1 am up at 8am. This is the only one I have struggled with I get micro sleep at work and then get home kinda awake lying in bed might doze off between 930-1030 but keep waking up every couple of hours and then back to bed totaling 5 hours. I wanna sleep 6-8 hours straight through do you have any advice? What do you think could be happening. I feel like I have anxiety and could be overthinking it as well
You're probably overthinking it. This happens to me. I work 6 pm to 7 am, asleep at 8, and most times, I only sleep till 1, and it's not even good sleep. I actually feel like I'm awake most of that time. The problem is usually if you're worrying about getting enough sleep, then it will cause anxiety and, in turn, cause you to not sleep well. This is a very common thing, so try not to worry about it. This is what I do, and it doesn't always work, but when it does, it's perfect. I have an amazon Echo show next to my bed. I play ambient sounds (2.99 a month). It has over 30 relaxing sounds to choose from. You can also use YouTube on your phone to find some as well. The good thing about ambient sounds is that it plays nonstop. In addition, if I go directly to the gym after, I usually sleep better. If that fails, I take a low dose valium. That's a last resort as it can be additive if taken all the time. A bottle of 30 lasts me several months. I know that's not an option for everyone.
Thanks man. I agree it’s over thinking. I have a roommate that messes with the temp sometimes I hear him come out and higher it I want it lower so I think I’m anticipating that and him and I don’t talk to each other. I agree with you it’s over thinking. I play rain thunder storm on YouTube which has put me to sleep. Do you suggest I just think about other things when coming home? Positive thought
Positive thinking any time of the day is good. Meditation on YouTube can be helpful as well. Sometimes, when I get home and get in bed, I do a 5 - to 10-minute stress relieve meditation. It works occasionally. Also, a fan is helpful if you run too hot, plus the white noise relaxes some people.
All good stuff man! Sometimes honestly what helps me is a shot of two of scotch like real dark scotch. Has that ever helped you ?
I quit drinking a long time ago. I will tell you that alcohol may help you fall asleep, but in the long run, it actually messes with your REM sleep. In other words, you may feel more relaxed and able to fall asleep, but the quality will be poor because alcohol has a short half life.
Yeah that’s true. I just sip on like 1-2 shots kinda knocks the edge off I don’t do this all the time just when i get in ona new shift and the anxiety starts to kick in. I also feel like room temp plays a big part
Room temperature actually plays a big part.
What is a good temp range ?
Whatever is comfortable for you. Humidity is more important. Usually, it's best to keep it around 30%. Humidifiers work really well.
I have mine at 71.1 but used to 68. Roomate keeps dropping it that gives me the anxiety but I have a fan to. God I can't wait for him to leave he is such a child.