Overnight shift

[tazmania]

Our company is in the middle of an IT conversion. Over the next 3 weeks the company will man a 24/7 Command Center to help deal with and escalate issues during the conversion.

I've been volunteered to man 5 separate shifts over that 3 week period and 3 of those shifts involve a 7pm to 7am shift. The first overnight being this Saturday. I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to manage my sleep so that I'm:

1). Not falling asleep on the job
2). Not messing up my sleep pattern so much that I pay the price for days or weeks afterwards.

Needless to say I am concerned about having to work these shifts.

I have never done well trying to sleep during the day. I was contemplating stay up as late as possible Friday night, hoping I'd sleep later into the morning Saturday, then maybe trying for a nap late afternoon before I have to start the shift.

Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?

[HoseCrusher]

Basically, you're screwed...

Look up and review articles on how to manage jet lag. This will help you figure out how long you can expect to feel like crap before you return to normal.

[Julie]

Wondering about the chances of being able to not do it - talk to your supervisors re having just been on a long haul of trying to get your sleep optimized so that you can do your normal job... that this might not be the best time (if ever shifts would be) to do the new one... Are they aware of your apnea at all?

[tazmania]

Wondering about the chances of being able to not do it - talk to your supervisors re having just been on a long haul of trying to get your sleep optimized so that you can do your normal job... that this might not be the best time (if ever shifts would be) to do the new one... Are they aware of your apnea at all?

Nope. Trying to be a good employee and help out as this is a company wide effort where my involvement is pretty limited.

I guess I should have made as special request. It's probably too late to ask them to change it now as I had and took advantage of opportunities to change dates earlier before they considered it final.

There's a good chance I may not have a choice in asking to change the shift as I may have to head out of town to attend a funeral this weekend. That would still leave me with the 2 other shifts though.

[chunkyfrog]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_lag
If you are not already having problems, look at this as temporary, as it will be.
Prepare ahead of time by getting extra sleep the day before, and
have your high protein breakfast before starting your work day in the darkness.
Keep hydrated, and get room darkening shades for the bedroom for your sleep.
Avoid watching television. Any time.
Turn up the lights in your work area, if possible.

[Mudrock63]

Don't sleep without the machine.

[tazmania]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_lag
If you are not already having problems, look at this as temporary, as it will be.
Prepare ahead of time by getting extra sleep the day before, and
have your high protein breakfast before starting your work day in the darkness.
Keep hydrated, and get room darkening shades for the bedroom for your sleep.
Avoid watching television. Any time.
Turn up the lights in your work area, if possible.

Don't sleep without the machine.

Good tips! Thanks.

Extra sleep will probably have to come in the form of a nap. I struggle to get 7 hours of sleep a night (although this last week I've had 3 days where I got 8 (woo-hoo)).

Good tips on eating and reminder to stay hydrated.

Unfortunately the room we're using as the "Command Center" is a pretty dim lit room. I may bring my workstation desk lamp to brighten it up.

I start my sleep with my machine every night. I think almost 100% of the time for the last 8 years give a night or two when I was so sick I couldn't get unclogged. Lately I've been getting plenty of 4+ hour sleeps with it. More like 5-6 hours +.

[Sheriff Buford]

I have worked shift work off and on for most of my working life. What I do is darken my bedroom by using Styrofoam, used to insulate/weather-proof home exteriors. You can cut the 4 X 8 sheet with a knife to fit your window. I use a fan to drown out outside noise. I also reset the time on the cpap machine so the readings won't reset at noon. I have tried everything in the world to try to participate with life on my day off, but what I've found for me is to get plenty of rest on working days (nights) and on off days, I would get around 4 - 5 hours of sleep, make myself get up so I would be able to get to sleep at night. I felt lousy most of that day. Ah.. I'm reminiscing!! So glad I'm retired...

Sheriff

[Bill44133]

Suck it up buttercup Drink lots of coffee..

[chunkyfrog]

Burning the midnight oil was so easy when we were young . . .
Ah, those were the days.

[Thatgirl]

I work rotating days and nights. It's really not that hard for me. I work 6:30-7:30, either AM or PM. If I'm not tired the evening before a night shift, I stay up as late as possible- 2 or 3am, and then sleep in as late as possible. If I am tired the night before, I go to bed at an early hour, get up at 7, keep very busy until 12:30 or so, then nap 1p-5p. I work all of my shifts in a row. I go home, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, and throw a big fleece blanket over my window. The fleece blanket keeps light and noise out. I use a ceiling fan almost all the time for more white noise. You can always use lavender by your CPAP in the AM for aromatherapy to help you sleep. I've used melatonin before too. If you were going to be on nights awhile, and if it were winter when it's dark at 3pm, I'd recommend a sunrise simulation lamp to wake up to. That's helped a lot. Hopefully you can do the three nights back to back then be off the rest of the week? Remember to pack lots of healthy snacks. Get up and walk around when you feel tired. And keep yourself mentally out of the gutter- don't let yourself complain too much when you're there, when you see a clock and it says 2am, just pretend it's 2pm. Think about the advantages of being there at night- better parking, management not around- whatever it may be. Good luck!

[ChicagoGranny]

Drink lots of coffee..

That makes my list of top three things NOT to do.

[RogerSC]

I think that I would have gone for the "can't manage my sleep this way, I have disturbed sleep" option with my manager. Like give it a try and if it works to keep you on a regular shift, fine. If it doesn't, then I've heard a lot about using melatonin to help manage jet lag. It is supposed to help get your body into sleep mode when you need to shift your bedtime. I take it at night (.3mg, or 300mcg), and it helps me going back to sleep when I wake up in the morning after 4-6 hours sleep. I've stopped using it, and find that I have a harder time going back to sleep in the morning.

You may be surprised at your manager's reaction, hopefully that he cares about you and your physical condition. And there may be that edge of liability avoidance, should you have future problems and come back and sue the company somehow...I obviously wouldn't mention suing, but an intelligent manager would ask themselves what could result if they force you to do something that you've warned them may cause problems.

Anyways, just a thought.

[flightco]

I think that I would have gone for the "can't manage my sleep this way, I have disturbed sleep" option with my manager. Like give it a try and if it works to keep you on a regular shift, fine. If it doesn't, then I've heard a lot about using melatonin to help manage jet lag. It is supposed to help get your body into sleep mode when you need to shift your bedtime. I take it at night (.3mg, or 300mcg), and it helps me going back to sleep when I wake up in the morning after 4-6 hours sleep. I've stopped using it, and find that I have a harder time going back to sleep in the morning.

You may be surprised at your manager's reaction, hopefully that he cares about you and your physical condition. And there may be that edge of liability avoidance, should you have future problems and come back and sue the company somehow...I obviously wouldn't mention suing, but an intelligent manager would ask themselves what could result if they force you to do something that you've warned them may cause problems.

Anyways, just a thought.

I don't think your suggestion is a good one for long term employment unless the manager also has apnea. Most people have no idea of the seriousness of this problem or what is required to get it under control and keep it that way; it would most likely "sound" like an excuse to the uninformed and you could be seen as not a team player. I agree with suck it up, it is temporary, many people live with rotating shifts and if you plan on being here a long time you will be looked on more favorably for helping out the team.

[Janknitz]

My daughter recently started a graveyard shift job. We put foam insulation on the windows and she somewhat follows these suggestions: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/55156756199 ... ight-shift

She follows the same schedule even on her days (nights?) off. But I can see it taking its toll.

Lack of sleep messes with your brain and metabolism!