Night work and circadian rhythm

Potential-Monke

Folks of AH, I have a question about the above. I've applied for a job which is night shifts only (it's all about the money, money, money). I've worked shift work for the last 10 years (as a Garda, so all over the bloody place, there was no such thing as a pattern!), so i'm used to working nights, and days, and everything else. But, i always found it hard to transition from day to night and vice-versa.

What i'm wondering is, can one "reset" their circadian rhythm to be "normal" but for night work. I've googled, and it's all about shift work, but nothing about just night work. So, can i put myself into a pattern so that my rhythm is aligned for night work? I'd imagine one can, but i'd love to hear from people who work just nights, and how ye cope with it/can ye get a "normal" routine just in reverse. I'm a nightowl anyway, so i can't imagine i will have any issues.

And i'm posting it here because not only will i get some actual answers, and it has the highest traffic, but also because i love reading the AH replies to everything!

I'd say straight nights is easier on the body than nights/days..you have some bit of a routine at least..

Potential-Monke

That's what i was thinking, plus no shitty kids hogging the mobile internet in the schticks, so i can game worry free!

aaronjumper

Overeat around an hour before you want to dose off. Be grand.

Loveinapril

You could probably do it if you are a loner and okay having no life or hobbies, need to go to the bank, post office, etc. If you have kids or a partner who live in normal daytime hours it won't work.

ceadaoin.

You'd have to make sure that your bedroom is totally dark during the day for sleep.

What about in your days off though? Presumably youd want to do things during the day or have to run errands that you can't do at night? That will be tricky if your body is on sleep mode

RobertKK

Go to New Zealand for a few weeks and then stay in New Zealand mode when you return...

Oops69

Both night work alone and shift work have been scientifically/ medically proven to be detrimental to long term health, whatever about resetting your circadian rhythm , we are designed to sleep at night, you may adapt and find it easier with time but you can never alter the ultimate health outcomes , so maybe reflect before taking the job if you don't have to .

Tom Mann Centuria

Nights are sh*t whatever way I can try and work it, they are unhealthy in the long run too. I have no great scheme, if I manage 3 or 4 hours sleep during day on nights I'm lucky.

The only thing I have found is staying awake all day after last night shift (admittedly like a cast member of the walking dead) and going to bed in evening as usual, resets my body clock back to days.

On nights again tonight, they are feckin horrible. They come round every 4 to 6 weeks.

SEPT 23 1989

Night workers die ten years younger

Spanish Eyes

My neighbour works 7 days nights, 7 days off. She looks great.

I asked her does she mind the night work, and she said it pays great, it's quiet, and I have 7 days off every second week.

What could I say?

I think that pattern is doable, it's probably where there is a mix in a week there could be a problem.

Potential-Monke

Well as i said, i'm a night owl anyway, so working nights in general wouldn't be too bad. As for day time activities, banking i do online, shopping i can do in a late opening Dunnes or something, no missus and no kids (thank fooook!), and my hobby is gaming, so i think i'll be alright in that respect.

As for the sleeping, i'll have no issue. I was a corporal in the FCA back in the day, and we went on 48 hour tactics where it was about 60 of us spending 2 days in Kilworth walking around, pretend fire-fights with blank rounds and "fake" grenades (the same sound but no spray). We set up camp and i was told i was on the 2am point duty, so i slid into my poncho tent for a couple of hours kip beforehand. Someone woke me at 8am the following morning as everyone was packing to go. Apparently i slept through 3 attacks. So no issue with sleeping!

And the shift work from the last 10 years has probably already attributed to an early death, so not too bothered about that either! As i said though, it's for the money i'm thinking of moving, going from 19k to 32k with perks, so even if it's only for a while, and there's always a possibility of getting a day shift at some stage either through lateral or vertical promotion.

The Backwards Man

The whole we're supposed to sleep at night thing is a load of bollocks, how many of those who advocate that nonsense sleep naked in trees? None, that's how many!

There's no trick to working nights, people trick themselves to believe this or that. There's twenty four hours in every day and your brain needs a wee rest for at least five or six of them, it's as simple as that

corner of hells

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Well as i said, i'm a night owl anyway, so working nights in general wouldn't be too bad. As for day time activities, banking i do online, shopping i can do in a late opening Dunnes or something, no missus and no kids (thank fooook!), and my hobby is gaming, so i think i'll be alright in that respect.

As for the sleeping, i'll have no issue. I was a corporal in the FCA back in the day, and we went on 48 hour tactics where it was about 60 of us spending 2 days in Kilworth walking around, pretend fire-fights with blank rounds and "fake" grenades (the same sound but no spray). We set up camp and i was told i was on the 2am point duty, so i slid into my poncho tent for a couple of hours kip beforehand. Someone woke me at 8am the following morning as everyone was packing to go. Apparently i slept through 3 attacks. So no issue with sleeping!

And the shift work from the last 10 years has probably already attributed to an early death, so not too bothered about that either! As i said though, it's for the money i'm thinking of moving, going from 19k to 32k with perks, so even if it's only for a while, and there's always a possibility of getting a day shift at some stage either through lateral or vertical promotion.

I only work at night and have for a couple of years.I have a particularly easy roster though nearly all shifts are 12 hours.
I'm not sure what your new career will be , but your old one has similarities to mine.
I try and eat as much fruit and vegetables and drinks loads of water while in work.

While off work I make sure I take one day where I do absolutely **** all for anyone.

I also do a little bit of mindfulness and self care .
Socializing is difficult however I socialize with my work colleague a lot and oddly enough have dated a few people who work in a similar field.
I'd imagine you already have a devastating sense of black humour from your previous career which may keep you going.

I have hours and hours of boring mundane shifts and then I could have moments of quick decision making under extreme pressure.

Good with the interview.

carzony

I'm currently doing a mixture of 12 and 15 hour shift atm. I've been doing it for the past few months and it's always gonna be difficult imo.

Guys in my place have been doing it 7-10 years and still struggle to stay awake through the night shifts..

Try to bring in food you cooked yourself. The fast food scene is a hard habit to get out of. :o

Jack the Stripper

The Backwards Man wrote: »

The whole we're supposed to sleep at night thing is a load of bollocks, how many of those who advocate that nonsense sleep naked in trees? None, that's how many!

There's no trick to working nights, people trick themselves to believe this or that. There's twenty four hours in every day and your brain needs a wee rest for at least five or six of them, it's as simple as that

What a load of rubbish, it's proven night work long term is not good. It does shorten life.

The Backwards Man

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

What a load of rubbish, it's proven night work long term is not good. It does shorten life.

Fcuk all wrong with night work, it's the bad habits that shorten your life. Poor diet, poor sleeping habits, smoking, lack of exercise, people working nights are quite often more likely to fall into those habits, part of the martyrdom complex some nightshift workers have maybe. To say working nights is more detrimental than working days is just plain wrong, unless you're wangling university research grant out of it

ceadaoin.

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Fcuk all wrong with night work, it's the bad habits that shorten your life. Poor diet, poor sleeping habits, smoking, lack of exercise, people working nights are quite often more likely to fall into those habits, part of the martyrdom complex some nightshift workers have maybe. To say working nights is more detrimental than working days is just plain wrong, unless you're wangling university research grant out of it

It's not wrong. There is lots of evidence that night shifts increase your chances of cancer, obesity and heart disease. Even the WHO say that working nights is a probable cause of cancer. One study was conducted over 22 years with over 70,000 participants. It can't all be put down to poor lifestyle and bad habits.

After 22 years, researchers found that the women who worked on rotating night shifts for more than five years were up to 11% more likely to have died early compared to those who never worked these shifts. In fact, those working for more than 15 years on rotating night shifts had a 38% higher risk of dying from heart disease than nurses who only worked during the day. Surprisingly, rotating night shifts were also linked to a 25% higher risk of dying from lung cancer and 33% greater risk of colon cancer death. The increased risk of lung cancer could be attributed to a higher rate of smoking among night shift workers, says Schernhammer.
The population of nurses with the longest rotating night shifts also shared risk factors that endangered their health: they were heavier on average than their day-working counterparts, more likely to smoke and have high blood pressure, and more likely to have diabetes and elevated cholesterol. But the connection between more rotating night shift hours and higher death rates remained strong after the scientists adjusted for them.

Lead

My partner works nights only. 10-8am Monday to Thursday night. There are nights when he's off that he's wide awake at 4am after going to bed at 10pm and there are days when he can't get to sleep when he comes home from work. He wouldn't change it tho as he says he has no boss breathing down his neck doing nights.

Harry Palmr

Night work is why I haven't applied for some jobs, being diabetic it would kill me I reckon. We are meant to be asleep in the dark and awake in the light - the artificially lit "24 hour" world lifestyle is reckoned to be quietly doing us in. I for one would happily sleep 16 hours a day in mid December!

CIP4

While I am off it for the minute I spent the second half of last year working a mix of day and night 12 hour shifts. Generally 2 weeks of days 2 weeks of nights 7 out of 14 days mixed between the 2 weeks. I found it ok. I thought I would struggle to sleep during the day and didn't at all once your bedroom is dark it's not too bad. After doing a few nights trying to convert back to sleeping at night is the real issue. Even when you don't over sleep after your last night it's still difficult.

Overall I'd say no matter what way you do it there is no easy way of doing night shifts. I found the busier the night working the better if it's quiet it can be difficult to stay awake. As with many for myself there was substantial financial benefits to working nights whether it makes it worth it that's hard to say.

Overall after doing the 6 months I'd be happy enough to do a few years while I am young not long term though. But the married with kids situation I think would make it even more difficult. It certainly has an effect on your social life when you are working every second weekend.

Oops69

The Backwards Man wrote: »

The whole we're supposed to sleep at night thing is a load of bollocks, how many of those who advocate that nonsense sleep naked in trees? None, that's how many!

There's no trick to working nights, people trick themselves to believe this or that. There's twenty four hours in every day and your brain needs a wee rest for at least five or six of them, it's as simple as that

sorry to disappoint you but its not as " simple as that " , theres a whole science of sleep medicine and specialist doctors in sleep medicine who would dispute you're dismissal of proven scientific facts as a "load of bollocks" pretty robustly .

daisybelle2008

Potential-Monke wrote: »

I've worked shift work for the last 10 years (as a Garda, so all over the bloody place, there was no such thing as a pattern!)

!

Potential-Monke wrote: »

As i said though, it's for the money i'm thinking of moving, going from 19k to 32k with perks, so even if it's only for a while, and there's always a possibility of getting a day shift at some stage either through lateral or vertical promotion.

19k after 10 years? :eek:

Graces7

Sleep patterns are variable. I found a couple of decades ago that i was waking every day at around 3 am, and still do. So I go with that. Am on my own and retired and the work I do is at home. so how I organise my time is my choice and following my own rhythm

We are not clones

Galwayguy35

Worked nights in previous jobs and didn't mind them as the money was much better but refuse to do them where I work now because they pay the same for working both days and nights.

_Brian

Worked nights for 13 years.
Money is great when your doing them but they aren't great for family life and are bad for your health.