How do you recover from night shift?

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I've been doing night shift now for 10 years. 7 shift stints so I get fully adjusted to NS by the end of the swing. In fact I actually sleep really well when on the NS week.

But as time goes by I've notice my recovery time is increasing. I call it the night shift hangover which can last up to 4-5 days these days. Sometimes I recovery in 2 days if I'm lucky but rarely. I'm not a nice human during this recovery period. I'm useless, tired(obviously), short tempered, head in the clouds, antisocial and worst of all very unmotivated. I hate myself during this time. Borderline depressed actually. This recovery time is a write-off, nothing gets done.

I'm not sure if the increased recovery time is due to my age(42) and/or my physical fitness. Either way, one is increasing and other is decreasing 😆 .

Anyways, the reason for creating this thread is hopefully some of you fellow members whom have experience with NS can share some advice/tips for recovering from it. Not just for me but for others going through the same.

please feel free to have a say. thanks
 
I’m gonna be the least helpful and say the only remedy is to come off of nights. I worked a swing shift and after almost dying a few times on my drive home at 7am I said never again.
 
I’m gonna be the least helpful and say the only remedy is to come off of nights. I worked a swing shift and after almost dying a few times on my drive home at 7am I said never again.
Do you mean quit? If only. Too many insentives to stay in this current job. I would be a fool to leave atm. But who knows what the future holds.
 
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I've been doing night shift now for 10 years. 7 shift stints so I get fully adjusted to NS by the end of the swing. In fact I actually sleep really well when on the NS week.

But as time goes by I've notice my recovery time is increasing. I call it the night shift hangover which can last up to 4-5 days these days. Sometimes I recovery in 2 days if I'm lucky but rarely. I'm not a nice human during this recovery period. I'm useless, tired(obviously), short tempered, head in the clouds, antisocial and worst of all very unmotivated. I hate myself during this time. Borderline depressed actually. This recovery time is a write-off, nothing gets done.

I'm not sure if the increased recovery time is due to my age(42) and/or my physical fitness. Either way, one is increasing and other is decreasing 😆 .

Anyways, the reason for creating this thread is hopefully some of you fellow members whom have experience with NS can share some advice/tips for recovering from it. Not just for me but for others going through the same.

please feel free to have a say. thanks
NS sucks . the last time I really worked the NS was when I was in the navy 57 years ago . maybe you are getting a little older and things are not the same as being 20 or so . just like when I look in a mirror I still think I'm 16 until I see my reflection , then its back to reality . we all feel the same way , just roll with it , have fun .
 
I worked a swing shift for a long time. Only thing that would help me was to reset the internal clock. Get home and go right to sleep and force myself to stay in bed and asleep for as long as I could.
 
I worked a swing shift for a long time. Only thing that would help me was to reset the internal clock. Get home and go right to sleep and force myself to stay in bed and asleep for as long as I could.
Yes getting back into a normal sleep routine asap plays a big part in recovering. I try to stay awake untill the next night but its so hard. My body and brain is telling me to go lay down and close your eyes.
 
I worked nights a long time ago and I loved it. But a regular 5 days a week schedule. I just kept the same sleep schedule on my days off. Back then I was single. Would be nearly impossible now that I have a family.
 
Do you mean quit? If only. Too many intensives to stay in this current job. I would be a fool to leave atm. But who knows what the future holds.
Not quit, but moving to DS or find another position that fits your lifestyle and sleep pattern.
 
Not quit, but moving to DS or find another position that fits your lifestyle and sleep pattern.
DS only would be great. Not an option atm.
 
My "night shift" consists of working 2:30pm to 11pm. So I haven't really needed to adjust much.
 
I’m sure it’s a lot easier if you don’t have a wife/kids but even with a girlfriend at the time I always found myself not sleeping enough leading up to the start of my shift and if I was lucky enough to sleep past 11am, I’d wake up early on weekends to do stuff.

When I was in the Navy as an aircrew man, I’d take melatonin and sleep for 8 hours post flight, then wake up to eat and pee, then pound NyQuil and sleep another 8 hours. By that time I was a new man. But still, that’s essentially a full day just to recover and be normal.

Never found a solution other than going to days. We have some DS positions at my work here in Ohio. 🤣
 
I worked 4 12 hr nights 4 days off then 4 12hr days. And repeat. Was horrendous. Was having an after work beer as kids were eating breakfast. Money was great, family life not so much. Had to have all the windows down driving home. Could not adjust. Humans are not built to work nights. Especially days then nights then days. Body doesn't know what's going on. Took a cut and have worked days now for 10 yrs. Family life so much better. No job worth sliding into depression for. I for one am so much happier now. Good luck man, hope it works out for you. 👍
 
los angeles humor GIF by kingpalewave

JK!!!:unsure:
 
I have worked night shifts for 6 years off and on they only get worse the older you get you will never adjust to night shifts just get used to not sleeping much
 
I use herbal sleeping tablets. They don't knock you out but they do help without giving you a hangover.

Speaking of hangovers, alcohol doesn't help. Even though I sometimes convince myself it does.

Staying hydrated helps too.
 
I've been doing night shift for over 20 years. My schedule is 12 hour shifts (8pm to 8am) 7 days in a row then 7 days off. Basically I work every other week. The key for me is to not do too much during my work week. My work week consists of work, eat , sleep. I try to not to do anything extra. I focus on those 3 things for 7days straight. Then when I'm off the 7 days I do as I please. One recovery technique I've learned is to let my body do whatever it feels in those first 1 to 2 days. I don't force any activity. If I feel good enough to run errands or do other things (like RC) then I do them until I get tired. If I'm tired I sleep...keep it simple. That first day off is tough but by the 2nd or 3rd day I'm back to whatever routine life has in store. I set up a few goals that I want to attain weekly and give myself the whole week to get those done. When I was younger I'd work extra shifts on my week off for some extra cash. Now that I just turned 50 I have NO desire to work any extra. My off time is MINES and I guard it ferociously. I do feel some of the "slow down" you speak of but at 50 I feel like I shouldn't be doing the same things I was doing when I was 30 or 40 anyway. As I've aged my "IDontGiveADamn" meter is steadily increasing and I've become a happier man because of it. I've also come down with a severe case of the "F@#k Its" compounded with an new infection known as "Who Gives A S%$T-itis".
 
My shift is 330pm to 2 am Monday rhru Thursdays... 10 hr shift with 30 lunch. Im lucky to be asleep by 6 am. Get up noonish to get few things done. Do have to work some Fridays for overtime if required. My kids are grown now so don't have all the school activities to deal with now so it aint so bad. What sucks for me is if we do get togethers on a weekend if hard for me to wake up, travel and be part of conversions . Been on this shift for 8 yrs now.
Can't really give any advice , just roll with it.
 
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