I’m a nurse and I don’t do night shifts. The few times I did it I earned a 150% differential but it’s not worth the money: I’d go back home and have to use noise cancelling headphones to sleep, 'cause people are loud, I’d wake up rested at 04:00 pm, but completely destroying my circadian rhythm. I’d need a whole day or 2 to recover my regular rhythm because otherwise I’d be a zombie.

I hear my coworkers who do night shift complaining about this same issue, but they still pick up night shifts, which I don’t understand.

To me it was impossible to have something akin to a life while working night shift, but I’ve met some people that only do night shifts: the housewife that only works 4 nights shifts per month, the single mother or young wife or husband who work 14 night shifts per month and have the next 2 weeks for him/herself…

I don’t understand why they do it. It’s extremely taxing and not worth it imho.

But if you do, how do you have a life? And how do you keep yourself healthy?

  • sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works
    13·
    17 hours ago

    Some people are simply night people. I’m one. I usually feel sluggish throughout the day and only really gain momentum after the sun goes down. Even without a night job I usually stay awake nearly to sun up.

    I’ve been a bartender most of my life, usually working shifts till 5am. It just works for me. I wake up at my leisure and run my errands while everyone else is at work. No rush hour, no lines. I still have days off to spend with friends.

    Frankly, I don’t understand day jobs. When I wake up I’m usually still tired for a few hours. Then I gotta work all day which makes me tired. Go home and be too tired to do shit. Go to bed because I’m tired and do it all again the next day. That feels like not having a life to me.

    We’re all wired differently. Maybe you’re just not a night person. You should do what works for you if at all possible. If you have no choice in the matter then I say embrace it. Don’t try to reset yourself too hard to a daytime schedule on your days off. You are getting up around the time most people are getting off work or school so you should be able to find time to spend with friends or family. If you commit to it you just might be able to find a way to make that schedule work for you.