A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:I'm not really sure where to post this question online but I've been around this site plenty, so I figured you guys can help. It's mainly health and sleeping pattern related. It could indirectly be related to how it will effect my relationships with my friends, family, and boyfriend, though.Anyway, I'm a morning person. I get up at 7AM everyday, no problem. Up and at 'em. Without caffeine, no less (caffeine gives me head aches). Well, I'm starting a part-time overnight CNA job at a nursing home next week (11PM-7AM) and I already know it's going to kill me. I can force myself to stay up til at least 2AM but after that, I will be fiercely at risk for sleeping on the job. I'll only be working two nights a week so it's not a huge deal but those two nights are going to suck.I'll be switching to first shift (7AM-3PM) once the fall semester starts (mid-August) and most of co-workers go away to school but until then, I'm stuck with overnights. We're technically not allowed our cell phones on the job but it's the 21st century, everyone's got theirs. Also, no gum chewing (which is the weirdest rule I've heard of in a while). So, I'm basically to my own devices; we will only be doing bedchecks once every two hours and answering call lights, so not busy AT ALL.How can I cope with this? Especially if it does start ruining my relationships?
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female
reader, Dorothy Dix  +, writes (7 July 2012):
Hi there. From what you are saying here, you don't work in the daytime, is that right?
So you are at home then?
So what I am saying here, is you DO NOT work a second job in the day?
Which means that your days are free?
This overnight job at the nursing home, will be your first and only job right now?
And if that is the case, well then by about 8pm you need to try and have a sleep for at least 2 hours, so you are fresh once you start work at 11pm.
You may not feel sleepy then, but you must try and get a nap in, just the same, otherwise you will be feeling very sleepy about one hour after you start work - which would be your normal turning in time.
Even if in the mid afternoon, you have a sleep just after lunch for 2 hours, that will certainly help a little as well.
And then again after your evening meal, lie down and have another couple of hours sleep.
It's simply a case of changing your sleeping habits, to best suit your new overnight shift job.
The main thing is, you don't want to be walking around every single day, being absolutely exhausted.
So as long as you are NOT working during the day, that will make it so much easier to get enough sleep on those 2 days you are on the overnight shift.
And it doesn't need to affect any of your relationships, just so long as you can catch up with your sleep at every opportunity.
Sleep is vitally important for good health and wellbeing, and so the importance of it cannot be underestimated.
And a shortage of sleep long term, will eventually make you ill, either through plain old exhaustion, or catching bugs, colds and flu - all that sort of thing.
So my advice to you, is to grab a couple of hours sleep during the day, whenever you can.
Then your energy levels at night, will be much higher, and will enable you to cope, with ease.
And yes, as the other person said here, some energy snacks - additional to sleep - while on the job, is also a good little pick me up.
Snacks like a fruit and nut mix, that you eat with your fingers, is an excellent source of quick and sustained energy levels.
An energy snack is much more successful, as long as you have already had your sleeps throughout the day.
Energy snacks WILL NOT replace a sleep through the day, it will only enhance it.
The best result will be achieved by both combined.
A
female
reader, kirra07  +, writes (6 July 2012):
I'm a student nurse doing 2 days and 2 nights and I thought that the nights would be really hard, but it's not quite as bad as I thought. It does feel very strange - make sure to nap during the day before your first night shift. And drink a lot of water and eat some small snacks throughout the night.
Bring something interesting to do on the down time - books to read or what not. It's hard but you might surprise yourself how you can stay awake. I work 7pm - 7am and it's tough but a lot of the nights I am awake all night (sometimes I take a nap)
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