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6 Ways to Make Working the Night Shift Less Hazardous to Your Health

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I am currently working 2 graveyard shifts (12 to 8 am) 1 day shiift 9 to 5 and 2 swings (4 to midnight) all within a weeks schedule. I am worried because I am also a single mom and rarely get much sleep. I'm not sure what to do because there is no possible way to have a consistent schedule short of quitting my job which I can't do.

cassie of CO 8:36PM March 07, 2012

This is very true. I am 19 years old and work through the night well into morning. Normally I am a cheerful person but over the time I've had at this new job I come to notice that I am more sensative now n overthink how much I miss out on daily activities.

joe m of NJ 8:49AM December 10, 2011

I've been an extreme night owl since college, try to take night jobs and I love it. Right now I work a job where I go to bed around 7-8am and sleep till 4pm. I get enough social life at work, because I work at a nightclub, and I'm already an introverted book lover, so I LOVE the quiet nighttime anyway. I will say in the winter it is rougher because I get up and the sun is setting, although I do get to see it rise before I go to bed.
The point is, you have to get enough SLEEP, black out the windows and tell your 9-5 family to be quiet! There's no shame in sleeping till 4pm if that's what you have to do to get your 8 hours.

Dennis Andrew Hendrix of GA 8:56PM November 07, 2011

I work night shift for 3 year and has different physica,social and Phscological problem. difficalt to focus,feel tied all day that make not connection with Socal life ,digestion problem constipation,ulser,gasteric,bad breath and many different problem,and the worst thing is feel alone working alone and sleep day no contact with frend or some other people then u start think about ur self think negative about ur self and make u depress and this lead u complicated psychological problem I notice this beaver some of my frend working night shift and start getting crazy I always fight to change my work and working day time but my tiredness and lose if focuse make me hard time to find other job I should sleep 3 or 4 night to take some exams or interview other wise difficult to me focuse and weak up pls any one who has experiancen to shere help me stay awake and focuse with doing night shift bc i have to work for while until I change my work

Win of CA 1:14PM October 31, 2011

I work night shift in a hotel , it's rough ... I get real depressive at times it's insane. I don't have a social life anymore and it's repetitive work which makes it harder. I hate my life.

Deniz Demirel 6:05PM October 27, 2011

I have been working the night shift for about a year now and it has been the hardest year I have had as far as depression is concerned. I was extremely all winter and thought it was due to seasonal defective disorder. When summer arrived I felt fantastic at first, but it wasn't long and I felt the good mood start to fade. I am tired all the time; have no energy; and I am grumpy with my daughters. I am glad to see I am not the only one feeling this way.

Ann of OH 5:41AM August 12, 2010

we are expected to eat our dinner right before or during work. Then are expected to have a few shots or drinks with our customers throughout the night. My weight has been fluctuating so bad lately. Right now I would consider myself 10 lbs. over, but a few months ago I looked almost skeletal. I can run fine on 6 hours of sleep but even with an eye mask, drawn dark curtains, and sleep music I still find myself sleeping almost 10 hours a day, and its never a good 10. I've tried everything, someone please assist.

Nikki C. of GA 5:56AM May 21, 2010

just sleep.................................

lynz of MD 8:53PM March 24, 2010

I'm a nightshift worker and a student. I go to school from 8:00 am to 12:20pm. Then I have to take the city bus home so I dont get there till 2:30pm. I sleep from 2:30pm to 5:00pm. Then I get up and get ready for work which takes about and hour. I make the 20 minute commute to the hopsital where I work and clock in at 6:30pm. I work until 7:15 or 7:30am. Then I have class at 8:00am to 12:20pm. Then I do it all again. 3 or 5 days of the week.
Yeah. I exist on about 10 hours of sleep a week. FML.

Marisa of TX 7:47AM February 28, 2010

i work for a BPO! my shift timings are 91:30 to 07:30 am, i reach my PG at 8:30 am in morning. i have my breakfast and roll in the bed for sleep around 12 or something i may sleep but again i wake up at 1:30 to have lunch and its nightmare after NO SLEEP at all.. i feel sleep in the evening time thats around 6pm but i need to wakeup to go to office, please help me.. can i quite my LUNCH is that ok.. but i am under weight only 39kgs nad 23yrs Old!!!!!

jhansi 5:36PM February 17, 2010