bunchie

Hi I am a graveyard shift worker, I have read in the past where working graveyard shift causes depression, due to lack of sleep. I have really noticed my drinking ( excessive binge drinking on days off) has really gotten out of control since I went on the night shift. I was never a daily drinker just a crazy binge drinking alcoholic, but drinking on little sleep I know is causing me more problems , I was getting a lot drinker easier and experienced my first full blackout the other night , it's why I am here trying to stay sober. I am just wondering if there is anyone out there who is a graveyard shift worker who could offer some advice on getting better sleep I believe that will help me stay sober, I can not get off the shift until January ,2019. Thank you

Anna

Hi Bunchie, I am not a graveyard shift worker, but I have read that people experience various problems when they work all night. I hope someone will be along who can share tips with you.

biminiblue

I worked graveyard for a couple years. If you just quit drinking it's going to take time for your sleep to improve regardless of your shift.

I had blackout curtains and always made sure to eat right after I got off work and then try right away to go to sleep. I never really got used to graveyard - especially in the summer with the long days. I would often find myself out and about at 8PM not having slept - and I had to be at work at 1AM. That was my biggest problem. I was very young and able to bounce back and able to keep going on very little sleep.

I didn't find that it caused depression.

Is it that you can't go to sleep or can't stay asleep for some reason? It took me a couple months sober before I got good straight-through sleep.

bunchie

Thank you ,
The summer is killing me , I'm heading to get blackout curtains right now, my shift actually starts 8 pm to 6 am , 6 days a week right now with the good weather , it goes back to 4 ten hours days after daylight savings with the onset of winter , I work outside. My heavy drinking was in the winter 3 day binge to excess , it's a miracle my wife has not filed for divorce. I am committed to stop my last binge 3 days ago ended in blackout which I never experienced before, I have no recollection of 3 hours from 8-11 pm, I drove home , I embarrassed myself and family and I feel so rotten right now I want to drink today my only day off, if I get by today I think I will be fine, I want to apologize to the bartender's and manager of bar I was at , but not sure what I did there. I am normally a happy drunk , but sometimes very opinionated when that drunk, I don't know what to do. I have been advised not to apologize if I want to quit drinking, because I will have no need to go back there. But I just do not believe that is right , I think maybe send a letter to staff and apologize for getting that drunk and explain my situation, tell them this opened my eyes to my problem and ask them if I was a complete ass? It just seems to me if I don't apologize they might think I have no remorse. Do you have an opinion?

biminiblue

Stay sober and all this goes away. Try to keep looking forward, not back. Can't change the past, ya know?

When I was on graveyard four ten-hour shifts were much better for me. The blackout curtains are awesome. I still have them - it's easier to sleep. Plus I run a fan for a steady white noise.

J50

I have read about melatonin helping shift workers, but never tried it.

I feel your pain. I worked the midnight shift for the first few years of my career, and spent several other years working afternoons. It really throws you off.

https://sleepfoundation.org/shift-work/content/non-medical-treatments-shift-work-disorder

bunchie

Thank you so much ,

bunchie

Thank you so much, I hope to get by today these cravings are strong right now and I believe they are stronger with less sleep, I'm basically getting 3 hours a day , I try to nap later but just lie there staring , maybe earplugs I am going to try the white noise . Thank you

J50

Keep in mind that the first militaries do to captured enemies is deprive them of sleep 😮!

Take solace in that the sleep issues will pass, but may be a bit more difficult with your schedule.

I had insomnia for a few weeks, but it eventually passed. Just give it time.

Try all the natural remedies you can find, however, and stay away from sleeping pills. I've read horror stories about them.

Dee74

I was a night worker for some parts of my life - either on an assembly line or later as a musician,

Heavy curtains are good. an eye mask and ear plugs don't hurt either.

Like Bim says make sure you eat and try and avoid stimulants as much as you can.

As for drinking - yeah bad idea. Its not real sleep that way, more passing out.

My dad worked night shifts for 40 years and never drank - I never drank after the assembly line..my addiction kicked in some years later - so its possible to do

D

AWald88

Hi All

Folks will say I'm crazy but for me I love night shift. Ear plugs and blackout curtains rock. The trick I have is to just go straight to bed when I get home.

That said my roster rotates so it's a bit different from yours

Wholesome

I work the graveyard shift. I don't think I could pull it off if I was still a drinker. There used to be days I barely held myself together at work, I couldn't imagine working hung over like that on the night shift.

I sleep evenings instead of days. I just can't properly sleep during the day time, something always wakes me up and I can never fall back asleep, so I only nap during the day and then go to bed around 5 or 6 until 12:30. It sucks for having a life and I'm always tired, but I've got to eat and feed my family and we all like living in a nice house, right now this is the sacrifice.

I try to eat well too. No empty carbs, lots of whole foods, stay hydrated. I exercise a few days a week and make sure I get outside for walks. It was harder during the winter. I got sick more than I ever have before and the sicknesses lingered. It was hard to get well when I was always sleep deprived, so I would imagine hangovers would be worse.

I like being home from work during the days and I find the time feels like it goes faster during the night than it did during the day, so my shifts fly by.

I'm home today because I moved my grandma yesterday and it took longer than expected so I took today off because I would have been going in on no sleep. Thing is, I can NOT sleep in anymore. I'm always up in the middle of the night no matter what time I go to sleep. Saturday mornings I'll be up at like 3am tip toeing around the house like a creature of the night haha

And yes, black out curtains are a must....