Night shift!

[rk0r]

Does anyone here work night shift ?

I recently started doing 12 hr shifts night and day's looking after AIX servers. I find trying to keep awake at 4am very difficult. Does anyone have any tips on keeping awake ?

[sffvba[e0rt]

Does anyone here work night shift ?

I recently started doing 12 hr shifts night and day's looking after AIX servers. I find trying to keep awake at 4am very difficult. Does anyone have any tips on keeping awake ?

Currently 02:55am on my first night...

Sleep enough (to much) the day before the first night, lots of caffeine and when the going gets tough don't sit/lie/stand still...


404

[Bandit]

5 hour energy, coffee, Dr Pepper and mostly something to keep you focused on. Most importantly get your sleep in. Go home after work and go straight to sleep that way when you wake up that afternoon you got a few hours to get your body going good.

I worked Night Shift for a few years running a CNC with a 50min cycle time and only took 15 mins to load the other pallet for the machine so I had 30 mins left each hour to set back and do nothing but stare at the machine.. AND... If you do nood off, when someone walks up to you say "A'man" so they think you was just praying.. :D

[rk0r]

Currently 02:55am on my first night...

Sleep enough (to much) the day before the first night, lots of caffeine and when the going gets tough don't sit/lie/stand still...


404

Thanks for the tip, i have done 3 nights in a row 7pm - 7am and then sleep till 2pm repeat shift.

This time i am on 4 nights.. it seems to get better as it goes on but early hours this morning i hit the wall big time. - tried chocolate, that kinda worked..

Have you just started doing shifts ?

[rk0r]

5 hour energy, coffee, Dr Pepper and mostly something to keep you focused on. Most importantly get your sleep in. Go home after work and go straight to sleep that way when you wake up that afternoon you got a few hours to get your body going good.

I worked Night Shift for a few years running a CNC with a 50min cycle time and only took 15 mins to load the other pallet for the machine so I had 30 mins left each hour to set back and do nothing but stare at the machine.. AND... If you do nood off, when someone walks up to you say "A'man" so they think you was just praying.. :D

Yeh you right about the first part of sleeping after the shift to get the body thinking the day is the night. Those CNC machines are pretty cool, what were you making ?

I never fallen a sleep working before.. at least i got the keyboard to make noises if the keys are pressed long enough. :D

[sisco311]

I work in 3 shifts, 8 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. This week I worked in the 1st shift (7:00-15:00), next week I'll work in the 3rd shift (23:00-07:00) and after that in the 2nd shift (15:00-23:00) and so on. :)

+1 to sleep enough the day before the first night.

I don't like to sleep right after work, I try to sleep 6-8 hours in a row before I have to go to work.

Oh, and I don't drink coffee or energy drinks.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Thanks for the tip, i have done 3 nights in a row 7pm - 7am and then sleep till 2pm repeat shift.

This time i am on 4 nights.. it seems to get better as it goes on but early hours this morning i hit the wall big time. - tried chocolate, that kinda worked..

Have you just started doing shifts ?

First night for this cycle... been doing this for 12 years now. I always found the second night the worst. Night 3 and 4 are a breeze in comparison.

We always had a joke about 3-o-clock sickness... that is when the silliness usually starts (a tired mind can be pretty funny).


404

[Bandit]

Yeh you right about the first part of sleeping after the shift to get the body thinking the day is the night. Those CNC machines are pretty cool, what were you making ?

I never fallen a sleep working before.. at least i got the keyboard to make noises if the keys are pressed long enough. :D

Back then I worked for Thyssenkrupp Elevator company. I made an assortment of things, but mainly pump valve bodies to control the up and down speeds of the hydraulic elevators we made. But now I am an Engineer working in Research and Development. So I dont make just one thing now, I make prototype equipment for a new company using an assortment of manual Mill and Lathe, and CNC Mills and Lathes were I also have to write the programming for them. I am still new with the company so I am working my way up, but in a year or so I should be more involved with initial design and blueprinting with Solidworks CAM software. But I just been with this company for little over 3 months. So got a while to go.

[CharlesA]

+1 to 3-o-clock sickness. It's happened to me more than a couple times.. not fun.

[rk0r]

First night for this cycle... been doing this for 12 years now. I always found the second night the worst. Night 3 and 4 are a breeze in comparison.

We always had a joke about 3-o-clock sickness... that is when the silliness usually starts (a tired mind can be pretty funny).


404

I kept a log of my first ever 12hr night shift.. in hours it went a little something like this :-


1 - ok
2 - ok
3 - ok ish
4 - ok sandman yawns
5 - eyes burn
6 - =.=/ hungry.
7 - =.= / cold
8 - stomach/back of head pain
9 - brain freeze
10 - giggle fit
11 - difficult slow.
12 - struggle energy low.

[rk0r]

Back then I worked for Thyssenkrupp Elevator company. I made an assortment of things, but mainly pump valve bodies to control the up and down speeds of the hydraulic elevators we made. But now I am an Engineer working in Research and Development. So I dont make just one thing now, I make prototype equipment for a new company using an assortment of manual Mill and Lathe, and CNC Mills and Lathes were I also have to write the programming for them. I am still new with the company so I am working my way up, but in a year or so I should be more involved with initial design and blueprinting with Solidworks CAM software. But I just been with this company for little over 3 months. So got a while to go.

Sounds good! i have a friend that works on CNC he makes parts for humans * knees / elbows* he said that you have to be spot on with what you make! Sounds like your on your way to something there, hold on to it!.

[sffvba[e0rt]

I can still remember my first night... I was given a think manual and told to start studying... It didn't end well :p


404

[elliotn]

4th year working night shift, 2 days day and 2 nights night shift and 4 days off but i have yet to get used of the night shift. nights were made for sleeping.

[Bandit]

I kept a log of my first ever 12hr night shift.. in hours it went a little something like this :-


1 - ok
2 - ok
3 - ok ish
4 - ok sandman yawns
5 - eyes burn
6 - =.=/ hungry.
7 - =.= / cold
8 - stomach/back of head pain
9 - brain freeze
10 - giggle fit
11 - difficult slow.
12 - struggle energy low.


Ouch,, I forgot you was going on 12 hour marathons..
I wouldnt work that long more then once or twice a month max. Then again I dont like working 4x 10hour days now. But I dont like working period. Looking for employment that doesnt require me to get out of bed all day and must pay good. :lolflag:

[cariboo]

I work a 7½ hour shift from 23:00 - 07:00, I always find the last hour of the first shift of the week, is the worst, I seem to turn into a mindless idiot, and it's all I can do to stay awake, by walking around like a zombie. :) the one saving grace is that we get a ½ hour for lunch, where I usually head off to the local Tim Horton's (http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.html) for lunch and an ice cap. At 3 o'clock in the morning the place isn't very busy, and service is really fast. :)

[mamamia88]

Coffee and and ipod full of heavy metal if your boss allows

[Paqman]

This time i am on 4 nights.. it seems to get better as it goes on but early hours this morning i hit the wall big time.

I think about four nights in a row is perfect. First one you're just knackered, second is better, and by the third and fourth your body clock has adjusted and you're in the groove. Start doing any more than about four and you get too out of sync with the rest of humanity.

Don't underestimate how long it takes your body to switch back after nights either. I think it always used to take about 2-3 days to get adjusted back to daytime after my last night. I still do nights, but only ever do two in a row these days and I knock off at three, which is bit easier to cope with (I'm not getting any younger...)

Are you just doing nights or is it days too, and is it 4-on 4-off?

Everybody deals with nights differently, myself I found on 12-hour nights that I could trick my brain into being awake at different times, but my stomach couldn't be fooled, and had to be fed at the same times as if I was on days. So I'd get up, eat a big dinner, go to work and eat nothing but a snack then have breakfast before bed when I got in.

Try to eat well on nights though, it's really easy to fall into the trap of eating junk. Stay off the sugary drinks and snack food, you'll get fat quickly, especially if you're sitting on your butt.

[sharathpaps]

I am a doctor and my duty days are pretty long.. from 8:00 a.m today to 10:00 a.m the next day with around 4 hours of sleep at night if I am lucky. I get 6 duties a month like that on an average with the rest of my work days being from 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. You get used to it after a while.. so patience :-)

[aykoola]

the best thing you could do is sleep for five minutes. i always wake up invigorated after only five minutes of sleep during my nightshift.

[sffvba[e0rt]

the best thing you could do is sleep for five minutes. i always wake up invigorated after only five minutes of sleep during my nightshift.

Grounds for termination in many companies.

Night two is almost a quarter done... :D



404

[CharlesA]

Grounds for termination in many companies.

Indeed.

Take a nap during lunch. ;)

[rk0r]

I work a 7½ hour shift from 23:00 - 07:00, I always find the last hour of the first shift of the week, is the worst, I seem to turn into a mindless idiot, and it's all I can do to stay awake, by walking around like a zombie. :) the one saving grace is that we get a ½ hour for lunch, where I usually head off to the local Tim Horton's (http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.html) for lunch and an ice cap. At 3 o'clock in the morning the place isn't very busy, and service is really fast. :)

Zombies and night shifts..! - i agree with you on that one, sometimes i wish that the world would end up in some zombie outbreak. (im all clued up on what to do if there was.. )


Whats an ICE CAP >?

[rk0r]

Are you just doing nights or is it days too, and is it 4-on 4-off?


At the moment i am floating.. so i do days and nights.
Once a month i will do 4 nights in a row,
i will work 2 weekends out of 4 ( day or night )

The rota is quite complex, however its a good 35% shift allowance on top of a good salary.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Indeed.

Take a nap during lunch. ;)

Operations don't get a lunch break... well not an official lunch break.


404

[Megaptera]

When working nights (which I've done for 20+years) as part of a days > lates > nights roster I always reverse day-living to night-living.
A meal before work around 8pm, in to work and have a snack half way through shift, not too much tea/coffee. Get home, watch TV have a couple of beers and a snack and then to bed - 'cos when you work 9am-5pm who comes in & goes straight to bed?
Never sleep at work on days or nights - not paid to sleep at work!

Some people really struggle with nights but I'm lucky I guess - no problems with sleeping during the day or working at night.

Kind regards
Dr.Acula.

[Dry Lips]

Night shifts sucks! I worked night shifts for a couple of summers, and I found that my day became completely ruined. My circadian rhythm became really messed up, I literally only worked and slept. I remember that I had to throw away some dishes because they had grown mouldy because I hadn't done the dishes for a few weeks.

The pay is usually good, but I don't think it's worth it, unless it is for a rather limited time.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Night shifts sucks! I worked night shifts for a couple of summers, and I found that my day became completely ruined. My circadian rhythm became really messed up, I literally only worked and slept. I remember that I had to throw away some dishes because they had grown mouldy because I hadn't done the dishes for a few weeks.

The pay is usually good, but I don't think it's worth it, unless it is for a rather limited time.

There are many jobs which need people at it 24/7... But yes, the impact to ones health isn't ideal :-/


404

[rk0r]

Get home, watch TV have a couple of beers and a snack and then to bed - 'cos when you work 9am-5pm who comes in & goes straight to bed?
.


After i worked a 12 hr shift from 7am to 7pm and then drive 20miles the last thing on my mind as the sun is rising is drinking a beer. I guess you have been hardened over the years and drinking beer in the morning is like having cornflakes cerial. :)

[M_Mynaardt]

I work nights (Friday to Tuesday nights 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM). Sleeping, or trying to, during the day is the tough bit.

Can't bring my laptop to work. One or two of my (former) colleagues managed to spoil that and having an Internet connection at work. Would be nice if I could at least have the Internet to entertain myself with at work sometimes...

:(

[Dry Lips]

There are many jobs which need people at it 24/7... But yes, the impact to ones health isn't ideal :-/

404

Sure there are many important jobs where people need to work at night. I think the ideal solution would be to have some kind of rotation... So that people in turn had night shifts, say, a couple of nights a month. Perhaps this would be difficult to achieve in some places, but I think such a principle could be used much more than at the moment.

[Swagman]

As soon as you get home from a shift... GO TO BED (to sleep !!)

Do NOT set an alarm clock. Wake up when your body tells you to wake up.

Works for me. I drive Heavy trucks through the night !!

[rk0r]

As soon as you get home from a shift... GO TO BED (to sleep !!)

Do NOT set an alarm clock. Wake up when your body tells you to wake up.

Works for me. I drive Heavy trucks through the night !!


There would be no way that i could sleep without an alarm.
I would be having dreams that i am late for work.. there is nothing worse than being late and rushing about like an idiot. Frustrating!.

[Swagman]

There would be no way that i could sleep without an alarm.
I would be having dreams that i am late for work.. there is nothing worse than being late and rushing about like an idiot. Frustrating!.

Then your body will not receive the rest it needs and you will always be fighting tiredness.

You won't be having dreams about being late. Try it, if not just the once.

[CharlesA]

Then your body will not receive the rest it needs and you will always be fighting tiredness.

You won't be having dreams about being late. Try it, if not just the once.
This. I never set an alarm anymore, cuz I always seem to get up around the same time everyday.

Haven't been late yet. ;)

[Bandit]

As soon as you get home from a shift... GO TO BED (to sleep !!)

Do NOT set an alarm clock. Wake up when your body tells you to wake up.

Works for me. I drive Heavy trucks through the night !!

LOL I would sleep for 3 days before getting up..
Matter of fact I am going to bed early tonight..

[amosek]

Been doing night shift for the last 2.5 years.

Have plenty of sleep in the day and then plenty of redbull during the night =D

Hope it helps

[cariboo]

Zombies and night shifts..! - i agree with you on that one, sometimes i wish that the world would end up in some zombie outbreak. (im all clued up on what to do if there was.. )


Whats an ICE CAP >?

An ice cap, is an iced cappuccino.

I usually go to bed about 9:00 AM and get up between 5:30 - 6:00 PM, I'm in the midst of a six day shift, 3 down and 3 to go. So I guess we could call tonight's shift Hump Day, as once it's over I'm over the hump, and only have 2 to go. :)

[MisterGaribaldi]

I used to work in tech support for a company that had us working in shifts. We also had to bid periodically on those shifts.

Other than that, I've never worked shifts. Unless you run a 24 hour operation, there just isn't very much call for them.

[rk0r]

Been doing night shift for the last 2.5 years.

Have plenty of sleep in the day and then plenty of redbull during the night =D

Hope it helps


Thanks for the tip, i try to stay off the redbull.. im more of a tea pot.
I try not to have any caffeine after 2am.. or ill be awake in the morning. :(

[rk0r]

An ice cap, is an iced cappuccino.

I usually go to bed about 9:00 AM and get up between 5:30 - 6:00 PM, I'm in the midst of a six day shift, 3 down and 3 to go. So I guess we could call tonight's shift Hump Day, as once it's over I'm over the hump, and only have 2 to go. :)

Iced drinks.. never got into them, although i do like to have a cold yoghurt at 3am it kinda wakes me up.

I got one more 12 hr shift to go after tonights madness... AIX commands at 4am is hard work.

i wish they had Tim Hortons in the uk.. i like the sound of that soup and garlic bread!.

[Megaptera]

.... I guess you have been hardened over the years and drinking beer in the morning is like having cornflakes cerial. :)

Yes, it was my way of "reversing the day". Many people have a couple of beers or a glass of wine after a traditional day in the office.

At one stage I was rather partial to gin and tonic accompanied by cheese and gherkins after a night-shift and before a day's sleep :)