Sleep

[BCFFFV]

Just curious if you ever get used to working night shifts. I seem to be a wreck my first day off sleeping until 4pm or so. On average how many hours do you spend sleeping your first day off?

[JGallagher]

Originally posted by BCFFFV
Just curious if you ever get used to working night shifts. I seem to be a wreck my first day off sleeping until 4pm or so. On average how many hours do you spend sleeping your first day off?


If I get off in the morning I try not to sleep past 1200 or 1300.

[bestcoast]

I usually get a couple hours then force myself to get up or else your night is shot. But if you spent a night shift on Rescue 2 you might need another couple hours, BCFFFV probably already know's that......:D ...BC...

[LTPVFD]

I try to sleep at least 5 hours after my last night shift. Any less than that, and I am bagged for 2 to 3 days. I work a 2 day and 2 night rotation in the dispatch center - 12 hour shifts. No - you never get used to working shift work, let alone night shifts. :(

Stay safe !!

LTPVFD

[dentedhead]

I had this problem when I worked EMS but not since I got on fire.I find that even after a busy night I can forge through the day and have a little nap before the kids get home from school.

I also found what I used to do worked, plough through the day after my last night,dont operate heavy machinery ,or do anything requiring concentration!Then go to bed at a reasonable hour,my wife is an ER nurse and she does this as well with good results.

I heard a sleep expert on CBC radio a while ago,he suggested that if you worked nights that you treat the day as if it were an evening.So if you typically went to bed at 10 or 11pm do that in the am, then get up at 7or 8 pm and have breakfast,if you had a beer after work at night have one in the am.Pretty much keep your schedule the same.I dont think this would work for us as or turnaround is a little quicker.But if you worked 8hr shifts it might help.

Dentedhead

[Fireknight]

Originally posted by BCFFFV
Just curious if you ever get used to working night shifts. I seem to be a wreck my first day off sleeping until 4pm or so. On average how many hours do you spend sleeping your first day off?

It usually depends on how busy the night before or the whole shift has been, but like BC I do not try to sleep the day away that just throws off the whole sleep sched. A hour nap here and there through out the day will usually fix me up.