Sleep help needed!

Jetset · Post by **Jetset** » 02 Jan 2007, 03:13

This is a request to all who have worked night shifts in the past, or who work them now. Namely, how do you recover a proper sleep pattern in your days off?

I work four on, four off, 12 hour shifts, 2 days, 2 nights. No problems doing the shifts and I get enough sleep between my night shifts, but like tonight on my first day off, I went to bed feeling really tired and then awoke four hours later feeling ready to start the day. This is the second week it's happened.

Any suggestions will be really appreciated.

Thanks, a very disorientated Jetty! :sad:

Paul K · Post by **Paul K** » 02 Jan 2007, 04:50

Tried acupressure, Jetset ? No, neither have I, but I'm getting really desperate with my insomnia. I know your problem is altering shift patterns, but the end result is the same...lack of kip. I've been trawling the web and have come across these hints and tips:

Between your eyebrows, there is a small depression on the level of your brows, right above the nose. Apply gentle pressure to that point for a minute.

Between your first and second toes, on top of the foot, there is a depression. Press that area for a few minutes until you feel a dull ache.

Imagine that your foot has three sections, beginning at the tips of your toes and ending at the back of your heel. Find the distance one-third back from the tips of your toes and press on the sole of your foot for a few minutes.

I would like to share an acupressure tip that helps me sleep. Tape a dried kidney bean to the inside of your right wrist. I locate this point between the two tendons by measuring the width of three fingers from the wrist crease.This gives me around eight hours of very sound sleep. If I have to get up to go the bathroom I still go right back to sleep. This approach is cheap, safe and better than anything I have used in the past.

Additionally, here's a self-help acupressure site that may assist:

http://www.geocities.com/jrh_iii/acupre ... s.html#top

Alternatively, you could go to your local branch of Holland and Barrett ( the healthfood place ) and get something called Valerian Plus, by Dr Stuart's Botanical Teas. It does seem to help.

Good luck.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 02 Jan 2007, 06:01

Jetty
Simply apply an active 3 y/o liberally to your life - lets see Ive been working graves for almost 4 years now - and average 3 -4 hours max sleep when off duty due to previously mentioned 3 y/o.

Seriously in the industry I have worked graves 75% of the time -
because I prefer the freedom - and have never really had a problem with
circadian rythmn - seems my body automatically adjusts

sorry Paul no trying to debunk accupressure - Ive used it for several things including hangovers and motion sickness which worked beautifully

Leif

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 02 Jan 2007, 12:04

Jetty,

Don't know if this helps, but on the Vanguards I used to fly a five nights in a row with long trips like Malta and return or Gibraltar and return, then five days off in a row. I had the same problem as you at first with my five days off feeling like a zombie...The solution I found was to get home in the morning from my last night flight and simply NOT go to bed, till VERY late that night. I just used to force myself to stay up and awake till about midnight or even one a.m. I found that I could then just collapse and sleep straight away and by the next morning when I woke, my body clock would be more or less back to normal

Post by **DaveB** » 02 Jan 2007, 12:10

Funny you mention that Peter, I think Tonks does the same now

I caught him after he'd done a transatlantic crossing (I was hoping to see him land but he'd been on the deck a couple of hours by the time I got there!!) and seem to remember not going to bed was high on his list

ATB

DaveB :tab:

jonesey2k · Post by **jonesey2k** » 02 Jan 2007, 13:14

Thats what I do too, just stay up and by the next evening Im well and truly knackered and am allmost asleep before my head hits the pillow.
Quite a lot of my posts are about 4 in the morning

Charlie Bravo · Post by **Charlie Bravo** » 02 Jan 2007, 14:00

I never got used to 12 hour shifts and my sleeping pattern was all over the place.
8 hour shifts suit me much better and I can get by with 3-4 hours sleep.

Nigel H-J · Post by **Nigel H-J** » 02 Jan 2007, 14:51

I will echo the replies of Peter and Dave.

I work permanent nights but now thankfully finish at 02.45hrs but have done three on and three off.

After finishing my last night I went home got about fours sleep - woke-up - felt terrible then had to go back to bed at night and did not sleep well at all.

Trust Peter, don't bother going to bed and by the time you do later at night.........you'll sleep well and awake refreshed!!

speedbird591 · Post by **speedbird591** » 02 Jan 2007, 15:05

Whether it's time-change or shift work, as the others have suggested, you have to get on to local time/pattern asap. You have to force your body to do what you tell it. Caffeine to stay awake and beer to go to sleep helps. I spent 30 years flying long-haul and still work shifts and never found an easy answer. You get used to sometimes feeling like death or else wide awake in the middle of the night and you just carry on. On long haul we found that after several days of it your body catches up and you go into what we called a mega-sleep. I've known stewardesses to sleep for 18 hours when one of those hits. But I'm convinced that your body puts itself right eventually, so don't get screwed up about it because that makes it worse.

The worst jet-lag in the world was London to Anchorage with a 10 hour time-change when we used to refuel on the Polar route. Depart LHR 1345, 9 hour flight, arrive ANC 1245 local time. That's an hour before you leave! So you've done a day's work and your body thinks it's 2245 and you've got to stay awake 10 hours longer to make it work. And take into account that in winter it's rarely daylight and in summer it's never dark. I never did get my head round that one :sad:

Actually, my posts go on so long that next time you're awake in the night just do a search for all my old posts and you'll be asleep in no time

Ian

VEGAS · Post by **VEGAS** » 02 Jan 2007, 16:37

Our night shifts are in four on then three off cycles. Usually its been that hectic at work that most of the lads seem to doze off when their head hits the pillow and sleep right through til tea-time.

Usually I find the following is useful when trying to get to sleep in the evening after nights;

1. Get up a little earlier in the day on the last one
2. Darken the room completely and stick ear plugs in
3. Unplug the phone
4. Get p*ssed