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General => General discussion => Topic started by: T_J_G on 21 July 2011, 21:14

Title: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 21 July 2011, 21:14
Got a stint of 10 weeks of nights coming up with MASSIVE commutes.

Any tips for getting into a routine, eating etc? Haven't really done this before for a great length of time. It's 4 on 3 off same nights every week...

 :kiss:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: richw911 on 21 July 2011, 21:15
Pro plus.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 21 July 2011, 21:18
Going to need more than that Rich :grin:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: JC on 21 July 2011, 21:20
your fcuked ,  :lipsrsealed:

takes at least 2 days to fully recover coming off nights, so you will have one day of days proper.

then you gotta flick your body and mind back into nights  :sick:

Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: mwep201081 on 21 July 2011, 21:21
don't drink anything 5 hours before your finish time. You'll be up all day pissing like a race horse if you do...
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Jay on 21 July 2011, 21:23
Keep to your night time pattern on your off days? Gotta be easier than trying to adjust all the time.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 21 July 2011, 21:24
Keep to your night time pattern on your off days? Gotta be easier than trying to adjust all the time.

I don't think either way is going to be easy. Bearing in mind some days will be spent in a hotel room...
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: fozziie on 21 July 2011, 21:29
when i used to work nightshifts i found the easiest way of adjusting from a day routine to a night routine was to stay up all night the night before, play some computer games or something, then sleep all day, wake up in the evening, have some cereal and do your entire night as if it was ur day (if that makes sense)
invest in some thick curtains too, the day light will only encourage you to get up during the day
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 21 July 2011, 21:35
It's ok on that front we have blinds and curtains  :huh:  :rolleyes:

What makes it harder is some nights I'm 160 miles from home  :sad:







Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: gixer1400 on 21 July 2011, 21:37
what hours are you doing ? and do you commute every day ??  :huh:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 21 July 2011, 21:41
Being doing about 10- when the jobs done which could be a 7 hour shift or 12 hour...

I have the option to stay at a hotel whenever I need to.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: gixer1400 on 21 July 2011, 21:50
i usually do 6-6 days then 6-6 nights 4 on and 4 off  :shocked:

the 1st night i go back to bed for an hour about 4-5pm get in for 6 have dinner about 9-9.30 with a

 couple of snack breaks to keep the energy levels up through the night .  :smiley:

then chill down for an hour when i get home getting up about 2-2.30 and carry on from there .....

but if your travelling for hours each way you'll have to adapt to cope, but it soon becomes the norm after

8 or 9 years  :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: thatwillis on 21 July 2011, 22:05
If i have to do nights i find staying up all nite the night before does work.

Today i started work at 7 im still here and it looks like 1/2am finish.. thats the film.industry for you..  :grin:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: gixer1400 on 21 July 2011, 22:08
but do you get a break half way through the night to buy ice-cream and popcorn ?? :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Dan_GTi8v on 21 July 2011, 22:23
I work days and nights 12 hour shifts 2 on 2 off so 2 days 2 off 2 nights 2 off etc. 7 till 7

What I do is sleep normally when I'm on days, then the night before starting nights stay up a bit later, maybe midnight or 1am, and aim to get up around midday. Then when finishing nights usually get to bed around 8am, so try and get up no later than 2 which gives me enough sleep to not feel like crap all day but I'll be tired enough to get to sleep at a normal time.

The staying up all night the night before trick can work but I find you just end up wasting another day sleeping
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: daz veedub on 21 July 2011, 22:27
i do 12 hour nights and find making a bed ontop of the machine  and having an hours kip helps  :wink: :smiley:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Gavv8 on 21 July 2011, 22:32
when your not working sleep as much as possible and don't eat loads of sugar rich stuff or caffeine or you get sugar crashes, bananas and other fruit is good for slow sugar release, non salted nuts are good too, just eat little and often to keep your energy levels up.
Don't be tempted to sit around watching telly or other stuff when your not in work, just sleeeeeeeeeep.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Luke1981 on 21 July 2011, 22:56
I work shifts as well. Try to eat healthy food and drink water, your body produces toxins when your body clock is all over the show so stay away from artificial highs such as redbull etc.
After your last night get up as early as you can which will  help you get to sleep at a proper time, 4 hours does me on my last day.
Good luck  :smiley:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Diamond Hell on 21 July 2011, 23:18
Go mental and start acting a bit odd from the start - it'll save you a lot of time explaining it's because you've been doing nights for a few weeks later.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: andyj775 on 21 July 2011, 23:23
i do 10pm - 6am, and once in the routine i sleep from 6.30am to around 12 noon, then make sure i have a power nap in the evening (between 5pm and 7pm) i usually aim to have at least an hour but if i have longer then just helps you to feel fresher for the shift
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: chrisford_vw on 22 July 2011, 02:53
i do 10pm - 6am, and once in the routine i sleep from 6.30am to around 12 noon, then make sure i have a power nap in the evening (between 5pm and 7pm) i usually aim to have at least an hour but if i have longer then just helps you to feel fresher for the shift
This works for me too
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: tommygtimk4 on 22 July 2011, 09:44
thought id replied to this, dam iphone

Ive worked nights for years, usually struggle throw the week with just 5/6 hours sleep a day, after work on a friday morning i just stay up til friday night and sleep til sat morning, then comes monday im up all day then into work, only work 4 nights a week, 10hour shifts.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Len on 22 July 2011, 11:24
3 am in the morning is THE worst time! Coffee or caffiene drinks are useless!
Oranges or good orange juice is best.

I did 4 x 12 hours shifts, 2 days then 2 nights. The switch over day was a b!tch!
Eat a good breakfast in the morning and on the last morning just have a 4 hour sleep, then get up and enjoy your 2.5 days off!
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: DubFan on 22 July 2011, 12:55
I do a mix of dayshifts and nightshifts.

My routine is generally, the day before the first nightshift, stay up late, go to bed after midnight, sleep till mid afternoon, get up and enjoy the daylight (quite important to do this in the winter), have dinner, go to work (start at 21:30 or 22:30), work through (don't nap, it doesn't help me at least) finish between 6am and 8am. Head home, chill out on the drive home, go straight to bed.
If I'm doing another night straight after, I will sleep for 8-9hrs then get up.
If I'm not doing another night, I sleep for 4hrs, get up enjoy the day and then go to bed at the usual time (10-11pm ish) to get back into the normal routine.

Red Bull and the like don't help. Just eat well and keep your mind active during the night.

Hope they make it worth your while. We get £70ish extra for every nightshift, even more if it's overtime.
I do a few double shifts too (voluntarily) so it's a 10hr dayshift followed by a 10hr nightshift. Thats a killer but worth it for the cash.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 22 July 2011, 14:18
Cheers for the advice, it's definitely worth my while.  Can claim all my expenses and a generous amount per mile I drive :)
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: leeroy20vt on 22 July 2011, 16:31
i do a lot of nights to normally mon-thurs then fri off but may have to work sat and/or sun

the worst night i find is monday but once thats out of the way i normally get in around 5-6 am and sleep till 1-2 pm and tues night im fine only time i struggle a little is on the the 10 mins of the motorway so windows up stereo up fag time

i have to do all the driving mind which is nearly 180 miles a night which is a bit of b!tch

as said try and stay up a bit later the nite before u start and dont get up early get a power nap in the afternoons and the last nite get a fews hrs kip get up early so u sleep ok that nite

good luck fella but if u feel that tired driving home make sure u pull over and have a walk about or even sleep for a hour  :smiley:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Gavv8 on 22 July 2011, 18:45
Go mental and start acting a bit odd from the start - it'll save you a lot of time explaining it's because you've been doing nights for a few weeks later.
+1 just for the hell of it. :smiley:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 22 July 2011, 19:06
Just got info on where I'm meant to be. :lipsrsealed:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: jeynesey on 23 July 2011, 11:34
Drink lots of water, try not to drink as much caffeine as you think. Get some black out curtains  :grin:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: dansmk3 on 23 July 2011, 11:46
way i do it is, a couple of days before starting my nights, get up at normal time as if you were on days, and stay up until you would go to bed coming off nights. do that for a couple of days and you start to get in the routine.

this is what works for me anyway. i love nights tbo as i get more sleep than if i were on days, the woman is at work while im sleeping too  :grin:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: stealthwolf on 23 July 2011, 15:37
As with others, I've done my fair share of night shifts. The worst is seven nights in a row, starting Friday night and finishing the nights on a Friday morning with only the weekend off. Twelve hour shifts.

I've always struggled but what helps is staying up the night before, going to bed late, wake up early so there's some sleep deprivation, mess around and then sleep for a few hours and get up when it's time to get ready.

I can't shift my bodyclock much so I tend to eat during the day and eat virtually nothing at night. Hence decent breakfast with lots of protein and slow-release carbs eg eggs, followed by porridge and then some source of caffeine. Also have a cereal bar for the early hours say 5am.

The best I've ever slept is six hours and the worst is four hours, which is a killer. So definitely make sure nothing can disturb you when you sleep. I find nytol is crap but am normally exhausted when I get home.

Biggest problem will be driving - it can be dangerous to drive home tired so the use of a hotel if nearby is a good one. Even a power nap before driving back could save your life.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 23 July 2011, 19:10
Well I start tomorrow evening in Shefford, then back down to Brighton the night after and the third night it gets worse!

Don't know how long the shifts will be as it'll be till the job is done.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: jimbooboo on 25 July 2011, 17:45
I used to work 11 - 7.

get home at 7 then go to gym for a couple hours.

then sleep till about 5 and then have "breakfast"

then have dinner about 8

then another snack before i go to work

Maybe the odd redbull every now and then. Dont rely on them tho...

That was 5 on 2 days off. Monday Night to Saturday Morning. When I got home saturday morning i'd try and stay up all day.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: jmsheahan on 25 July 2011, 17:49
Don't know if it's already been mentioned but Coke is a good stimulant if you need refreshment.

When doing nights found Red Bull doesn't really work, coffee is great for 15 mins before you slump, but coke keeps you alert for a good while.

Best of luck with them  :smiley:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 26 July 2011, 11:39
Be a bit hard getting hold of that in the different areas, unless I buy bulk :grin: I do normally have a can on Coca Cola on break as it's the nicest drink in the world!

Got home at 6 this morning, just woke up to be leaving again at 1 for a 5 hour journey.

FML

Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: AlanD on 26 July 2011, 12:40
Cocaine. Works every time.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 17 September 2011, 12:07
This sh!ts just gone up a level....travelling to Scotland tomorrow for work.

Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Toby on 17 September 2011, 14:55
fcuk me! :O thats a fair old distance!

hope the pay is well
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 17 September 2011, 17:47
Well it's kind of ok...get paid a day to travel + expenses.
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: barrym381 on 17 September 2011, 17:50
were in scotland you travelling to
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 17 September 2011, 21:06
Glasgow as it happens!
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: barrym381 on 17 September 2011, 21:23
if you need to know any good hotels an stuff just let me know bud  :smiley:
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 17 September 2011, 21:25
All sorted through work, thanks anyway. Be in Lindsayfield then Anniesland....
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: barrym381 on 17 September 2011, 21:31
annieslands 2 secs from me how long u in glasgow for
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 17 September 2011, 21:36
From tomorrow evening til Wednesday late morning...
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: barrym381 on 17 September 2011, 21:39
get yourself to the local titty bars lol
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: T_J_G on 17 September 2011, 21:43
Not sure I'll have time, how far is Lindsayfield into Glasgow centre and what's the nightlife like on a Sunday evening?
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: barrym381 on 17 September 2011, 21:47
wereabouts in lindsay fields an Sauchiehall Street has laods of diffrent places just deppends what your into the sports bar is ok for a beer an game of pool with plenty of p**sy
Title: Re: Working nights tips
Post by: Wazzzer on 17 September 2011, 22:20
I alternated nights/days in my old job and no matter what I tried I always felt f**ked. I can't tell you how good it felt never having to do it again. I wouldn't go back no matter what the pay would be.