Any tips for working second shift? - Democratic Underground

Spacemom

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Tue Oct-20-09 10:41 AM
Original message

Any tips for working second shift?

I may be rejoining the workforce after being a Stay at Home mom for the past 9 years. If I take the job, I'll be working 6pm to 2:30am. I'm thinking that as long as I can get to bed by about 4am and sleep to 11 or 12, I'll be okay.

Any tips for adjusting the natural time clock? :D

Thanks.

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Maine-ah

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Tue Oct-20-09 10:48 AM
Response to Original message

1. that's the shift I work I go in at 4, we close at 12.

Once paper work is all done it's 2am. By the time I get home, and get to bed it's usually around 3 am. I'm up at 7/8 in the morning, with my (almost) 3 year old. I'm with her all day, then I go to work. Been running like this for three years now. As for adjustment...it takes time.

Good luck!

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Blue Diadem

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Tue Oct-20-09 10:54 AM
Response to Original message

2. Try to adjust your schedule before you begin the job.

My youngest son will sometimes have to change shifts over a weekend or even over a 24 hour period and with that short notice its difficult those first few days on the job. My other son works a similar schedule as the one you will be on and he loves it. He can't sleep as late now since he has kids, but he gets a nap in before going into work.

Some things you might want to think about is how well do you sleep when it's daylight. Do you need complete darkness? You may want room darkening shades or drapes. Noise may also be a factor. The youngest son has noisy neighbors, the oldest doesn't.

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Spacemom

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Tue Oct-20-09 12:39 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Good Advice

I'm usually a night owl, so it won't be too hard to stay up late to "switch over" my schedule. The tough part is going to be convincing myself that I'm allowed to sleep late! :P

I've already talked with my boys about what would be required of them if I start working. Mainly they'd need to keep the noise down in the morning and get their own breakfast.

Room darkening drapes are a good idea too.

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Blue Diadem

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Tue Oct-20-09 01:45 PM
Response to Reply #3

6. I think night owls adjust easier to that shift.

I'm a night owl too and I always enjoyed evening shifts. My husband has worked 2nd and 3rd shifts for years. We found the room darkening drapes really help.

Good luck and congrats on the job!

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Juche

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Tue Oct-20-09 12:58 PM
Response to Original message

4. Blue light controls the circadian rhythm

It isn't all light, but specifically the blue spectrum around 460nm that controls your sleep/waking schedule.

http://www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/sep06/blue.html

So what you should do is buy a blue light circadian rhythm light

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Health-M2-Spectrum-Therapy/dp/B000JPJM5K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1256061411&sr=1-3

And some orange/yellow glasses that block blue light.

https://www.lowbluelights.com/index.asp?

Wear the orange glasses a few hours before you go to sleep, then use the blue light when you wake up. That should help you adjust.

I loved working the later shift. I have worked 630-630 and I have worked 10-10. And I preferred the 10-10. I would rather sleep in than have a few hours free time at the end of the day.

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doc03

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Tue Oct-20-09 12:58 PM
Response to Original message

5. Melatonin 3 MG n/t

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mopinko

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Tue Oct-20-09 01:59 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. +1 and

a sleep mask. ambien if you need it.

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lizziegrace

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Mon Nov-02-09 08:11 AM
Response to Reply #5

11. Try the melatonin before you start the job

It caused horrific nightmares when I took it. I won't touch the stuff again.

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mdmc

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Mon Nov-02-09 05:38 AM
Response to Original message

8. yes

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mdmc

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Mon Nov-02-09 05:43 AM
Response to Reply #8

9. 6pm 2am shift

you should wake up at noon, and have brunch..
chores in the afternoon. have fun before work..
start trying to eat "dinner" at 4:45/5pm. Then go to lunch around 10pm..
have something light after work.. then hit some tivo.. then bed..

all the best

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cleveramerican

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Mon Nov-02-09 06:00 AM
Response to Original message

10. get up, have breakfast with the family, then go back to bed

otherwise you'll never see them.

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rug

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Mon Nov-02-09 08:41 AM
Response to Original message

12. Tivo.

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Tuesday Afternoon

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Mon Nov-02-09 09:07 AM
Response to Original message

13. black out curtains and air condtioning. turn off the phone. if not running

a room air unit then run a fan or something for "white noise" to block out the sounds of neighbors going about their day. Good Luck

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Spacemom

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Mon Nov-02-09 09:15 AM
Response to Reply #13

14. Thank You

I always have a fan running, I need the noise. I put up black out curtains this summer to help keep the heat down in the bedroom, so those are already in place.

My kids have no qualms about coming in and waking me up over the slightest thing so I'm going to make a sign for my bedroom door that says "If it's not bleeding or on fire - Stay Out!" :D

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Tuesday Afternoon

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Mon Nov-02-09 09:17 AM
Response to Reply #14

15. Sounds like you will be fine. Love the sign.

;)

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Tobin S.

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Mon Nov-02-09 09:23 AM
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16. I worked 4pm to midnight for several years and I loved it

Second shift is my favorite shift to work. It allowed for play time and I always felt well rested. I'd still be working it if my job didn't get cancelled. If you are naturally kind of a night person you will have no trouble adjusting to the hours.

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david13

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Mon Nov-02-09 10:32 AM
Response to Original message

17. Just do it. Should be no problem. I did it, I may be a night owl

or it may have made me into a, or into more of a night owl.
But what I could not do was 3rd shift, graveyard, usually from 12 to 7 a.m.
That was a killer, as I could never sleep entirely in the daytime, and it goofed weekends up real bad.
But second, 4 to 12 is easy, I think.
dc

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La Lioness Priyanka

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Mon Nov-02-09 11:30 AM
Response to Original message

18. stay in touch with your friends. i know it sounds like silly advice

but people working the third shift often start suffering from depression because of social isolation + circadian rhythm shift.

otherwise sleeping at 4 and waking at 11 used to be what i called college :)

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NecklyTyler

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Tue Nov-03-09 06:44 AM
Response to Original message

19. Show up sober

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old mark

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Tue Nov-03-09 07:43 AM
Response to Original message

20. When I worked 11:30 PM-7:30AM in nursing, I started using Melatonin to

Edited on Tue Nov-03-09 07:45 AM by old mark

help me sleep. It worked very well for me, not a "sleeping pill", no hangovers, great sleep. Also invset in earplugs and maybe a sleep mask. Everything you can think of will help you, and it will take some time to really adjust to it. I had a much harder time going to 3:30 till 11:30 - it just spoiled the whole day for me.

Good luck - congratulations on finding a job.
Try to get at least 6-7 hours real sleep per night, stay away from booze.

mark

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