Shift work and working nights

lufties

Hi all,

As someone who's been working nights on and off for the past 13 years (Aviation worker). I've come to the conclusion that it is slowly destroying me. For years I blamed my problems on various things, but I know realise that shift work is at the core. Unsocial working times, messed up sleep patterns, how can you possibly be happy? Shift work has consistently left me depressed, anxious, fatigued, lonely, and disconnected. The problem us that the media will be reluctant to address this, as it's bad for businesses.

On a side note, I've researched the pineal gland (seat of the soul in ancient mysticism), which is responsible for secreting melatonin for circadian rhythm. When you are constantly going against nature, how can you possibly be normal? Anyway, luckily for the past year I've been trying to get off shift work, and fingers crossed soon I'll get a mon-fri job.

Just wondered if anyone else feels the effects of shift work like I do? It's one of these subjects nobody really talks about in mainstream society.

EverythingGood

No shift work per say, as my job was 9-5 but I commuted from rural Wexford to Dublin every day for 6 years, and as such got up at 4.30 for the 5.15 bus and didn't get home til after 7.00pm. Was so horrible, left me depressed, anxious, sad, uncommunicative, grumpy etc. Changed jobs, work local now, less money but such a benefit to my own health and my work/life balance, as well as much better for family life.

lufties

EverythingGood wrote: »

No shift work per say, as my job was 9-5 but I commuted from rural Wexford to Dublin every day for 6 years, and as such got up at 4.30 for the 5.15 bus and didn't get home til after 7.00pm. Was so horrible, left me depressed, anxious, sad, uncommunicative, grumpy etc. Changed jobs, work local now, less money but such a benefit to my own health and my work/life balance, as well as much better for family life.

That's the other extreme, long commute to dublin, stuck in traffic etc. I live in north of England and my work commute is max 30mins.
I lived in dublin for 3 years and eventually got tired of it. Same as any other big city, fun when you are younger. Glad to hear you found a better quality of life

vasch_ro

Its very tough on the body and only gets harder the older you get.
As you say your going totally against the bodies natural cycles.

seamus

I'm not sure if the media are reluctant to address it so much as it doesn't affect the majority of workers but also that it's a "necessary evil" kind of thing.

We know from countless studies that night work is bad for your health in general and those who do it long term are more likely to have a plethora of physical and mental health problems.
But we can't make it go away. We can't close the hospitals at 12pm or leave the streets unpatrolled from midnight to 6am.

Perhaps though we should be looking legislation to balance it. While a "night bonus" might work, it's easy for employers to game that system and make your base wage lower to compensate.
Perhaps work done between 12pm and 8am should accrue annual leave at twice the normal rate. And perhaps employers should be obliged to structure their shift patterns such that nobody ever works more than four hours dring this time. That is your 12-hour shift is 4pm to 4am, your 8-hour is 8pm-4am, 4-12 & 12-8.

At least then in that scenario everyone can get some level of nightime sleep, even if it is only 4/5 hours.

lufties

vasch_ro wrote: »

Its very tough on the body and only gets harder the older you get.
As you say your going totally against the bodies natural cycles.

Agreed, I'm 37, and the past year has been incredibly hard. The worse you feel, the harder it is to be social.

This really needs to be discussed more in mainstream society.

lufties

seamus wrote: »

I'm not sure if the media are reluctant to address it so much as it doesn't affect the majority of workers but also that it's a "necessary evil" kind of thing.

We know from countless studies that night work is bad for your health in general and those who do it long term are more likely to have a plethora of physical and mental health problems.
But we can't make it go away. We can't close the hospitals at 12pm or leave the streets unpatrolled from midnight to 6am.

Perhaps though we should be looking legislation to balance it. While a "night bonus" might work, it's easy for employers to game that system and make your base wage lower to compensate.
Perhaps work done between 12pm and 8am should accrue annual leave at twice the normal rate. And perhaps employers should be obliged to structure their shift patterns such that nobody ever works more than four hours dring this time. That is your 12-hour shift is 4pm to 4am, your 8-hour is 8pm-4am, 4-12 & 12-8.

At least then in that scenario everyone can get some level of nightime sleep, even if it is only 4/5 hours.

Good post. If the media addressed then there would be a huge shortage in people willing to work shift.

I'm coming from the view of an aircraft technician, running around changing wheels/brakes, problem solving on you feet at 4am. I'm physically and mentally exhausted at the end of a shift. Add the fact that I sleep for about 4 hours during the day also.

There is already a shortage of aircraft technicians, and companies wonder why. In my opinion there is a plethora of reasons, one being night work. However that's another topic altogether.

I've worked for British airways in the past, and the nightshift compensation was about 7k per year. Realistically it should be 20k imo. However, they have you by the short and curlies, as Aircraft technician work inherently involves night work anyway. So theres little or no getting away from it if your in this profession.

I'm not having a moan, so much as a Frank discussion. Working nights has led me to bad places, and led me to some unhealthy habits

_Brian

lufties wrote: »

Hi all,

As someone who's been working nights on and off for the past 13 years (Aviation worker). I've come to the conclusion that it is slowly destroying me. For years I blamed my problems on various things, but I know realise that shift work is at the core. Unsocial working times, messed up sleep patterns, how can you possibly be happy? Shift work has consistently left me depressed, anxious, fatigued, lonely, and disconnected. The problem us that the media will be reluctant to address this, as it's bad for businesses.

On a side note, I've researched the pineal gland (seat of the soul in ancient mysticism), which is responsible for secreting melatonin for circadian rhythm. When you are constantly going against nature, how can you possibly be normal? Anyway, luckily for the past year I've been trying to get off shift work, and fingers crossed soon I'll get a mon-fri job.

Just wondered if anyone else feels the effects of shift work like I do? It's one of these subjects nobody really talks about in mainstream society.

I did it for 13 years and it took a serious toll on my health which although I left it 10 years ago still affects me to this day.

All I can say is get out as soon as is possible. I’m earning 50% of what I did but my health as recovered considerably. As has the quality of my social and family life.

lufties

_Brian wrote: »

I did it for 13 years and it took a serious toll on my health which although I left it 10 years ago still affects me to this day.

All I can say is get out as soon as is possible. I’m earning 50% of what I did but my health as recovered considerably.

Really? With regard to sleep pattern?

blackbox

I used to work two shifts for many years and it suited me ok. Obviously not for everyone, but I loved being off during the day every second week and also the extra money (shift allowance).
I learned to be a very good sleeper. I can still sleep anywhere.
I don't agree with very long shifts as worked by medical staff. It has to reduce performance and is therefore unsafe. I would limit it to 10 hours max.

_Brian

lufties wrote: »

Really? With regard to sleep pattern?

That and more.
It affects physical and mental health alike.

lufties

_Brian wrote: »

That and more.
It affects physical and mental health alike.

I reckon the body and mind should be able to recover fully with the right approach. Sorry to hear you've not fully recovered after such a long period off nights.

caff

I did it for 5 years changed each week 6-13 / 7-14 / 9-17 / 17-1 / 00-6
It was the overnights that really wrecked me, the week of them was fine it was switching back the next week that left me a zombie.
The best thing I found to help was to be very strict about mealtimes for each shift to try and get my body to stay in sync with switching. Still though I found myself almost feeling drunk at times and my mind a mess.
Some people appear to cope with it fine but it didn't work for me at all and I had to switch to a normal day time job.

lufties

blackbox wrote: »

I used to work two shifts for many years and it suited me ok. Obviously not for everyone, but I loved being off during the day every second week and also the extra money (shift allowance).
I learned to be a very good sleeper. I can still sleep anywhere.

I guess everyone is different too.

XsApollo

Worked 3 cycle and also 2 cycle with 12 hour nights.
Night shift is a soul destroyer, no matter how many years your at it, you will never get used to it.
I think the longer it went on the worse it got.

Came off shift years ago and onto straight days and the difference is night and day literally.

Now I dunno if a straight night shift would be any better or was it the rotation of shifts.
But the memories of looking at the clock and it saying 4.30am fills me with dread.

lufties

caff wrote: »

I did it for 5 years changed each week 6-13 / 7-14 / 9-17 / 17-1 / 00-6
It was the overnights that really wrecked me, the week of them was fine it was switching back the next week that left me a zombie.
The best thing I found to help was to be very strict about mealtimes for each shift to try and get my body to stay in sync with switching. Still though I found myself almost feeling drunk at times and my mind a mess.
Some people appear to cope with it fine but it didn't work for me at all and I had to switch to a normal day time job.

Yeah, I use to be able to do it reasonably ok. Now its become hardly bearable.

lufties

XsApollo wrote: »

Worked 3 cycle and also 2 cycle with 12 hour nights.
Night shift is a soul destroyer, no matter how many years your at it, you will never get used to it.
I think the longer it went on the worse it got.

Came off shift years ago and onto straight days and the difference is night and day literally.

Now I dunno if a straight night shift would be any better or was it the rotation of shifts.
But the memories of looking at the clock and it saying 4.30am fills me with dread.

As I mentioned earlier, regarding the pineal gland in the brain, it is literally soul destroying.

I think science hasn't caught up with the true effects yet.

nervous_twitch

I am one of those lucky folk who very rarely ever gets sick - or I was, until I started working nights. For the first couple of decades of my life, I rarely caught the colds that were going around, hadn't once got the flu and I knew I had a pretty robust immune system. Once I began night shifts, all that went away. Constantly run down, regularly getting ill, general change in mood.

I know all that's just anecdotal but I am in complete agreement OP. The circadian rhythm is there for a reason. Even just the lack of vitamin D would cause issues. Unfortunately, as someone else pointed out, it's a necessary evil.

Quick edit just to add that I only did it for a year or two and when I went back to normal hours my overall health improved, to the point that I'm as I was before.

ush

I work day and night shifts. Two weeks day, then two weeks night. 07-19 and 19-07.

The night shifts are fine. Its switching back to day that kills me.

lasalle

I have the opposite choice to mull over, day shift short commute (15-20mins) atm, offered a new position involving night shift plus longer commute but considerably higher salary (30% increase) badly need the salary hike but reading posts on this, makes a decision less straight forward

Strumms

I was put on nights against my will and my health and wellbeing suffered big time. My sleeping was all over the gaff and my health deteriorated big time. Eventually a situation arose where I could get off nights, dropped a load of shift pay but did it in a heartbeat.

You could be paying me literally 100,000 a year to do nights but I’d never do it again. Gladly take half that pay or less in fact to have my health, wellbeing, social life and the energy to enjoy life..

73bc61lyohr0mu

I was working nights driving a van. I would drive from Limerick to Dublin and back every night. It nearly killed me. Literally. I fell asleep behind the wheel on the motorway due to sheer exhaustion and crashed into the crash barrier. I left the job soon after that..

XsApollo

lasalle wrote: »

I have the opposite choice to mull over, day shift short commute (15-20mins) atm, offered a new position involving night shift plus longer commute but considerably higher salary (30% increase) badly need the salary hike but reading posts on this, makes a decision less straight forward

30% increase in total or 30% increase on your salary and your shift on top of it?
Usually you get 25% increase as a shift allowance so you might not be getting a hike in base salary.
A long commute after nights?

Also I found I burned through money on nights. playing poker for cash, magazines and newspapers every night , mini playstations, anything to get through the burn of working that night.
Take aways also were a killer, my diet went to ****, couldn’t be assed cooking wether it be during work or when I got up.

I only saying last week as there was talks of the factories shift changing back to a 3 cycle instead of a 4,3,3 that if I got 15k extra a year I wouldn’t take it to work them again.

lasalle

30% total increase, shift allowance is 20% of that, 5 on , 5 off, 12hr shifts

XsApollo

Also take into consideration if you have a family.
Trying to sleep after school when everybody is at the height of their powers can be frustrating for yourself but also for others when the constant keep quiet you dad is sleeping is going on.
Saturday’s after a Friday night are pretty much a no go for you , also Sunday you won’t be feeling the best either depending how you sleep which mightent happen if you fancying a lie in and the rest of world is moving around you.


Taking a night shift job is not something I would recommend unless you have done it before and have experience of yourself and how you would handle it or your single and willing to try.

I have watched people leave after a few weeks and people turn to dogs when working nights.

scudzilla

I've been on nights now for 13yrs, my shift pattern is 4 13hr shifts one week, 3 the next. Have a rolling roster of 3 on, 1 off 3 on then 3 off, 1 on, 3 off.

My boss is sound and if i ask for the 1 on i work off he gives it me so i have 7 off.

I love working nights, main benefit is there's less idiots around :pac::pac:

I get paid extremely well and the company are very good, Nights suits me at the moment but am looking at a M-F Promotion within the next 18months.

Nights is all about routine, i finish at 07:00, home by around 07:30, stay up with wife and child until they head off at 08:50, bed by 9 and i'll sleep like a baby until 4.

Hardest part of nights is the timing of sleep on your first day off. I'll still go to bed around 08:50 but get up at 3pm, try not to nap on the sofa and come 22:30 i'll be completely bolloxed and will sleep through til 8am. IF i don't time it right i'll be wide awake at 2am looking for me dinner

johnnyryan89

ush wrote: »

I work day and night shifts. Two weeks day, then two weeks night. 07-19 and 19-07.

The night shifts are fine. Its switching back to day that kills me.

Have a similar schedule of 07-19 or 19-07 but lucky that I've worked nights mostly and the odd days I have worked would be nights Mon, Tues, Wed and back in for a day shift on the weekend. Some lads will get saddled with days and nights in the same week and there's nothing worse than when you work say a Thursday and have to be back in for Saturday morning.

limerick17

I've been working nights for the past two years in factories etc and the effect it has had on my well being is enormous.

Never want to do anything, constantly run down and miserable, basically a shell of the person I was before starting nights.
It also has an effect on relationships etc as your always narky.

Basically in my opinion it is not worth all the money in the world as your health is more important.

The only time I think it's worth it is for someone young looking to save up for a year or two but in the long run it will wreck you.

thomasdylan

I pretty sure there's a fair bit of research showing people who work shifts and nights have higher blood pressure, are more likely to develop diabetes and have heart attacks and strokes.

My dad worked rotating shifts for years and hated it. I was doing 24 and 36 hour call shifts very regularly up until recently (and still do three of four a month) and I'd always feel like I was running at 80% even days later. I used to try and bring healthy food and only drink water as I felt eating out of vending machines and prepacked sandwiches contributed to how **** I was feeling.

I always feel sorry for nurses, a good proportion of them are alternating between nights and days every few weeks.

lufties

limerick17 wrote: »

I've been working nights for the past two years in factories etc and the effect it has had on my well being is enormous.

Never want to do anything, constantly run down and miserable, basically a shell of the person I was before starting nights.
It also has an effect on relationships etc as your always narky.

Basically in my opinion it is not worth all the money in the world as your health is more important.

The only time I think it's worth it is for someone young looking to save up for a year or two but in the long run it will wreck you.

Yep exactly, I'm 37 and single, no kids, not many friends. Not entirely blaming working shift, but prob the cause of 75% of my problems.

antiskeptic

lufties wrote: »

Good post. If the media addressed then there would be a huge shortage in people willing to work shift.

I'm coming from the view of an aircraft technician, running around changing wheels/brakes, problem solving on you feet at 4am. I'm physically and mentally exhausted at the end of a shift. Add the fact that I sleep for about 4 hours during the day also.

There is already a shortage of aircraft technicians, and companies wonder why. In my opinion there is a plethora of reasons, one being night work. However that's another topic altogether.

I've worked for British airways in the past, and the nightshift compensation was about 7k per year. Realistically it should be 20k imo. However, they have you by the short and curlies, as Aircraft technician work inherently involves night work anyway. So theres little or no getting away from it if your in this profession.

I'm not having a moan, so much as a Frank discussion. Working nights has led me to bad places, and led me to some unhealthy habits

What is the benefit of a 24/7 economy? The argument is, the economy. I mean, it makes business sense to run an expensive production line 24/7 than leave it idle and depreciating.

The actual result? Well we've very sophistcated cars, McDonalds Happy Meal toys, flat screen plasma tv's, bottled water and an endless plethora of equally necesssary stuff to make us happy.

I've often thought the trick of getting women on the career path was Capitalisms greatest recent coup. It now takes two wage earners to buy a house and raise a family where it previously took just one. It isn't an argument about who stays at home, its that no one stays at home.

What a lovely societal experiment that is, replacing a millenial long model of children in the embrace of family and community to one in which their formative years are spent in industrial creches (a.k.a. hatchery grow houses - a place where chicks are raised for the processing line)

salmocab

I finished last Monday morning my last night shift after two years of it. Done a continental shift of 7 days 7 nights and 14 off over 28 days and whilst the time off was great it was killing me. I did nights either 3*12 or 4*12 at a time and I was basically jet lagged for most of the time. Paid a extra 16k or so for doing it but it wasn’t worth it.

Technique

I found it okay in my twenties, but when I went into my thirties it killed me. Not so much the actual nights, but trying to adjust back to days was horrible. I was cranky as hell, which was tough on the wife and kids. The time off and extra money was good, but not worth it overall. On days for the past ten years and life is more normal.

lufties

antiskeptic wrote: »

What is the benefit of a 24/7 economy? The argument is, the economy. I mean, it makes business sense to run an expensive production line 24/7 than leave it idle and depreciating.

The actual result? Well we've very sophistcated cars, McDonalds Happy Meal toys, flat screen plasma tv's, bottled water and an endless plethora of equally necesssary stuff to make us happy.

I've often thought the trick of getting women on the career path was Capitalisms greatest recent coup. It now takes two wage earners to buy a house and raise a family where it previously took just one. It isn't an argument about who stays at home, its that no one stays at home.

What a lovely societal experiment that is, replacing a millenial long model of children in the embrace of family and community to one in which their formative years are spent in industrial creches (a.k.a. hatchery grow houses - a place where chicks are raised for the processing line)

An airline wouldn't run effectively if nights weren't worked. I do agree with all you said though.

Rubberchikken

i work 4 nights a week 6pm to 6am. have been doing it 3 years and it works for me.
i might get 5 hours slerp a day the middle 2 days and 2 hours sleep the first day im off but i sleep like a log that night!

Strumms

salmocab wrote: »

I finished last Monday morning my last night shift after two years of it. Done a continental shift of 7 days 7 nights and 14 off over 28 days and whilst the time off was great it was killing me. I did nights either 3*12 or 4*12 at a time and I was basically jet lagged for most of the time. Paid a extra 16k or so for doing it but it wasn’t worth it.

Yep know what you mean... people see the shift pay and think ‘great’ but it IS a life of feeling jet lagged and of decreasing energy. Those days off you can’t spend enjoying because you are out on your feet....if there was fûcking fit for purpose employment law in this country shifts and schedules like those would be outlawed....

Tikki Wang Wang

scudzilla wrote: »

I've been on nights now for 13yrs, my shift pattern is 4 13hr shifts one week, 3 the next. Have a rolling roster of 3 on, 1 off 3 on then 3 off, 1 on, 3 off.

My boss is sound and if i ask for the 1 on i work off he gives it me so i have 7 off.

I love working nights, main benefit is there's less idiots around :pac::pac:

I get paid extremely well and the company are very good, Nights suits me at the moment but am looking at a M-F Promotion within the next 18months.

Nights is all about routine, i finish at 07:00, home by around 07:30, stay up with wife and child until they head off at 08:50, bed by 9 and i'll sleep like a baby until 4.

Hardest part of nights is the timing of sleep on your first day off. I'll still go to bed around 08:50 but get up at 3pm, try not to nap on the sofa and come 22:30 i'll be completely bolloxed and will sleep through til 8am. IF i don't time it right i'll be wide awake at 2am looking for me dinner

What cash are you on and what’s the job?

salmocab

Strumms wrote: »

Yep know what you mean... people see the shift pay and think ‘great’ but it IS a life of feeling jet lagged and of decreasing energy. Those days off you can’t spend enjoying because you are out on your feet....if there was fûcking fit for purpose employment law in this country shifts and schedules like those would be outlawed....

The thing about the time off is no one else is off for a lot of it. Wife in work and kids in crèche. Would obviously collect them early and was great for getting stuff done around the house but would find myself talking to the dog far too much.

Wanderer78

Had to walk away from shift's, had enough of the depression and anxiety, never felt better

Shefwedfan

I worked night many years ago, didn’t have any issues and used to love the extra cash....got older so just got myself promoted to standard 9-5

I know a lot of people who work with my wife and they only work night shift...they can do a couple of night per weeks and then free rest of week. So it suits them perfect.

Maybe I’m wrong but the common theme I see is at the core you don’t like your job? Most people posted on here that seems to be an issue

Not sure what the comment about 20k? So are you saying you not happy, it should be in press etcbut if they pay you 20k extra everything will be ok?

Andrewf20

I worked Monday to Friday as an engineer a while back. The long hours and stress killed my appetite for exercise and general hobbies. By the time I got home, got dinner and a shower it was heading towards 8pm. Sometimes I had to do on call in the evenings or work an hour or 2 on Saturdays.

I'm now working shifts (days and nights) and find it much better. With more time off and no need for doing on call or staying back late I found I got back into my hobbies and focused on getting fit. When I'm on nights i generally stay on night mode (kind of). I go to bed at 2am and get up at 10 or 11am. Between night shifts i sleep 8am - 2pm.

I know a good few people in professional careers (regular hours) who are worked to the bone. Some have put on a lot of weight as a result. The grass is not always greener elsewhere.

dastardly00

OP, I urge you to read the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker (Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley).

Hear is a review of it:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/21/why-we-sleep-by-matthew-walker-review

Also, the World Health Organisation classifies night shift work as a probable carcinogen

I would never work night shifts.

sparksfly

I work for a pharmaceutical company, shifts for over 25 years. I work 3 days one week, 3 nights the 2nd week, 12 hour shifts. We work an extra 9 hours the third week bringing the weekly average hours to 39 hours. No weekend work unless by choice. It puts our gross salary close to 85k.
I have to say I and my wife love it, she works 3 days in a separatej ob. I have the advantage of living in a rural location with grown up kids so it's very quiet. I can also sleep pretty much anytime I lie down, day or night.
Getting work done around the house is no problem. Accessing services like the credit union or even the barbers is easier on a Tuesday or Wednesday. The time off and the overtime rate of pay means we go away very regularly for mini breaks without using annual holidays.
I'm lucky again in that I am mentally contented with this lifestyle and appreciate that It won't suit everyone but having a working plan regarding sleep, eating times, days away etc is vital.

Shefwedfan

sparksfly wrote: »

I work for a pharmaceutical company, shifts for over 25 years. I work 3 days one week, 3 nights the 2nd week, 12 hour shifts. We work an extra 9 hours the third week bringing the weekly average hours to 39 hours. No weekend work unless by choice. It puts our gross salary close to 85k.
I have to say I and my wife love it, she works 3 days in a separatej ob. I have the advantage of living in a rural location with grown up kids so it's very quiet. I can also sleep pretty much anytime I lie down, day or night.
Getting work done around the house is no problem. Accessing services like the credit union or even the barbers is easier on a Tuesday or Wednesday. The time off and the overtime rate of pay means we go away very regularly for mini breaks without using annual holidays.
I'm lucky again in that I am mentally contented with this lifestyle and appreciate that It won't suit everyone but having a working plan regarding sleep, eating times, days away etc is vital.

The difference is you like your job

My wife was a nurse, she has moved now because she wanted promotion

She loved night, before kids they had option to do a week of nights, finish at 7 on Monday and they would be in airport at 8 to get flight out for a nice sun holiday

Loads of her friends only work nights as they have less days to do, the a big gap to next shift so can like you say live outside Dublin...rush hour? No rush hour when going in opposite direction

Night shifts are hard, as I said I did them, night shifts in a job you don’t like is a nightmare

jackboy

The secret to working shift is routine. Sleep is vital. If you have no children this should be no problem. If you have children then it is important that you have a very supportive partner as they will have to fully look after the children when you are on your sleep time.

Diet is also vital. You must eat healthy and eat light when you are on night shifts (absolutely no stodgy food).

Excercise is also critical. You must be physically fit for shift and exercise will also help with sleep at strange times. Again a supportive partner who will give you the free time for this is required.

So, sleep, good diet, exercise and a supportive partner are required. This is a lot to have right. You need to be a bit selfish. If not, shift work will physically and mentally destroy you.

dar_cool

Another pharma working shift here and love it. We get heavily compensated for shift. Ours works out at 55% in total. Salary just under 100k, Means my wife can stay at home with kids. We live outside of Dublin and I drive the 35 miles to work. Have 4 days off every week. Wouldn't change it for the world

Shefwedfan

dar_cool wrote: »

Another pharma working shift here and love it. We get heavily compensated for shift. Ours works out at 55% in total. Salary just under 100k, Means my wife can stay at home with kids. We live outside of Dublin and I drive the 35 miles to work. Have 4 days off every week. Wouldn't change it for the world

I am wondering what the 20k comment is about, it would suggest it not a night shift problem just the OP wants more money for working it

Necro

I'm on a 10hr core shift with 2 nights in every 10 days the past 2 years.

I absolutely hate it. Though a large part of that is the environment in the office and us being overworked and understaffed.

Have had my name down for transfer to another office since I walked in the door, it's only going to be temporary for me anyways, so I can live with it for another year or so if needs be but long term I'd lose my mind having to do it.

Fair play to those of you who can I just despise working shift and everything about it

Orderofchaos

Worked shift work for 20+ years and can totally relate. It knocks the stuffing out of you, ruins your physical health and made me quite cranky and unsociable. I took a day job about 1 year ago, it's more stressful and the money is not as good but I feel a whole lot better and get to sleep with my wife at night :-).

Ryertex

I worked shift for 15 years in my forties and fifties on heavy plant maintenance so quite physical. There were pros and cons and overall I don’t think it was too bad for me health wise. Often on nights at around 3am I would hit “the wall” a bit like long distance runners but you just have to get on with it. Also the change from nights to days could take a few days until I was functioning normally, but we had five days off in between which was helpful. Luckily I had no difficulty sleeping during the day (dark curtains and foam ear plugs a great help) The pros were higher wages and more time off work during the day so childcare etc was arranged around that. Also as one poster already mentioned, not so many phone calls to deal with at night. I’m working days now for three years and definitely prefer that but I do miss the days off though.

lufties

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I worked night many years ago, didn’t have any issues and used to love the extra cash....got older so just got myself promoted to standard 9-5

I know a lot of people who work with my wife and they only work night shift...they can do a couple of night per weeks and then free rest of week. So it suits them perfect.

Maybe I’m wrong but the common theme I see is at the core you don’t like your job? Most people posted on here that seems to be an issue

Not sure what the comment about 20k? So are you saying you not happy, it should be in press etcbut if they pay you 20k extra everything will be ok?

No, what I'm saying is to make it worth it for most people 20k would be fair. If you offered me 200k a year I wouldn't take it. In fact, I could walk into an 80k per year, stable, full time job right now but not interested.