I work 6 on 4 off, 2x 0700-1600, 2x 1500-0000 then 2x 2200-0700 nights.
I've found that over time my body has got used to this cycle. If i'm off when I should be on days i'm awake at 5am and if I should be on nights then i'm awake all night but tired in the day.
I have blackout curtains which are brilliant, can't stress how much of a difference these made.
Massive amounts of ale is good too...
Sleep help needed!
Moderators: Guru's, The Ministry
-
thehappyotter
- Concorde
- Posts: 728
- Joined: 27 Nov 2005, 15:15
- Location: Nottinghamshire
- Contact:
Thanks for the tips chaps! I really must try and stay awake after the last night, then at least I should sleep well that night. I will certainly take all of the advice onboard. Thanks again! 
Onwards and Upwards!!!!!!!!
Jetty!
If God had of meant us to fly, he would have given us wings! He did, it's called an aeroplane!
Jetty!
If God had of meant us to fly, he would have given us wings! He did, it's called an aeroplane!
-
Captain Pugwash
- Lightning
- Posts: 270
- Joined: 27 Oct 2006, 20:26
- Location: CYOW
My shift pattern is the most backward anyone can work. so here goes try to keep up
all 12hour shifts starting 6 to 6
four nights on
one night off
two nights on
two days off infact only 1 1/5 as you finish work 6 in morning
two days on
one day off
four day on
five days off , then start all over again
by the time i get to my four days on, my mind and body have nearly burned out. must point when i'am on shift there are no meal breaks. they come whilst driving from site to site. always in mind that i'am hauling upto 250,000 ltrs of fuel per shift.
all 12hour shifts starting 6 to 6
four nights on
one night off
two nights on
two days off infact only 1 1/5 as you finish work 6 in morning
two days on
one day off
four day on
five days off , then start all over again
by the time i get to my four days on, my mind and body have nearly burned out. must point when i'am on shift there are no meal breaks. they come whilst driving from site to site. always in mind that i'am hauling upto 250,000 ltrs of fuel per shift.
-
Captain Pugwash
- Lightning
- Posts: 270
- Joined: 27 Oct 2006, 20:26
- Location: CYOW
I did just before christmas. after unloading at a customer i returned to the loading rack and loaded my unit with the same load for the customer i had just unloaded at. then i spent half an hour trying to change the bills and when i got to my next customer thankfully the load fitted in the ground. they got fuel but not what they asked for.
thankfully i have not dropped the wrong fuel in the wrong tank, that can happen very easily. i knew of another driver that dropped two 15,000ltrs tanks of LSD ( diesel ) into two tanks of regular fuel. it cause damage to 45 cars and cost the company a lot of money. to pump out and resupply, also to pay for repairs to cars. the guy was suspended for three weeks and lost his safety bonus of $1000.00
all because of the new continental shift pattern. more work less time to think and recover.
thankfully i have not dropped the wrong fuel in the wrong tank, that can happen very easily. i knew of another driver that dropped two 15,000ltrs tanks of LSD ( diesel ) into two tanks of regular fuel. it cause damage to 45 cars and cost the company a lot of money. to pump out and resupply, also to pay for repairs to cars. the guy was suspended for three weeks and lost his safety bonus of $1000.00
all because of the new continental shift pattern. more work less time to think and recover.
An expensive mistake. I must admit that after four 12 hour shifts, especially at the end of the night shift when you are trying to do an aircraft loadsheet it can get a bit dodgy. I always like to get someone to double check it before I present it to a flight crew. Even though the crew should double check it, they just sometimes take your word for it, sign it and then input the data into the FMC.
Onwards and Upwards!!!!!!!!
Jetty!
If God had of meant us to fly, he would have given us wings! He did, it's called an aeroplane!
Jetty!
If God had of meant us to fly, he would have given us wings! He did, it's called an aeroplane!
I used to be in haulage and was employed on the British Sugar Corporation Contract delivering liquid sugar all over the country.
Often we had to be up early in the mornings for timed deliveries, sometimes I would have to get up at 01.00hrs for a 06.00 delivery in Bristol. One particular day a driver came in early to deliver 20 tons of the stuff to a food factory at Holme-upon-Spalding-Moor which is about an hour and a half drive from Lincoln but had to be there for 06.00hrs
Usually the trailers were loaded at the factory at night and brought in to our yard by the shunter, the trailers were clearly marked with numbers i.e. TRL20. He collected his paperwork then hitched up to the trailer and off he merrily went.
When he arrived at the factory and connected up to the pipe guess what?.......................................The dozy @*%£ had only picked up the wrong trailer and it was EMPTY!!
He said later that he thought the truck was going well up the hills!!!!!
Personally, I don't think that he had woken up from his sleep until he tried to discharge air instead of liquid sugar!!
Often we had to be up early in the mornings for timed deliveries, sometimes I would have to get up at 01.00hrs for a 06.00 delivery in Bristol. One particular day a driver came in early to deliver 20 tons of the stuff to a food factory at Holme-upon-Spalding-Moor which is about an hour and a half drive from Lincoln but had to be there for 06.00hrs
Usually the trailers were loaded at the factory at night and brought in to our yard by the shunter, the trailers were clearly marked with numbers i.e. TRL20. He collected his paperwork then hitched up to the trailer and off he merrily went.
When he arrived at the factory and connected up to the pipe guess what?.......................................The dozy @*%£ had only picked up the wrong trailer and it was EMPTY!!
He said later that he thought the truck was going well up the hills!!!!!
Personally, I don't think that he had woken up from his sleep until he tried to discharge air instead of liquid sugar!!
I used to be an optimist but with age I am now a grumpy old pessimist.
Bloody hell captain pugwash you work crazy hours!!!(not sure if that would be legal over here??)
I work five nights a week,Sunday to Thursday starting at midnight,usually i am finished for around nine am, avraging about 4 hours driving a night,I fully agree with the previous posters that the best way to throw your body clock round is to stay up all day at the end of your last shift,have a few beers in the evening and go to bed about midnight.That way at least you get to spend a bit of time with your family/friends/have a life. :dance:
I work five nights a week,Sunday to Thursday starting at midnight,usually i am finished for around nine am, avraging about 4 hours driving a night,I fully agree with the previous posters that the best way to throw your body clock round is to stay up all day at the end of your last shift,have a few beers in the evening and go to bed about midnight.That way at least you get to spend a bit of time with your family/friends/have a life. :dance:
If United were playing in my garden,I would close the curtains.
One extra thing that helps:
Shift your mealtimes to the new pattern, starting 24 hours before you need to change. It helps the body to move its sleep/wake cues. This was reported in New Scientist about 20 years ago, based on research done for the Rapid Deployment Force.
Personally, I also find that avoiding heavy meals around the transition days helps, too.
Cheers,
Kevin
Shift your mealtimes to the new pattern, starting 24 hours before you need to change. It helps the body to move its sleep/wake cues. This was reported in New Scientist about 20 years ago, based on research done for the Rapid Deployment Force.
Personally, I also find that avoiding heavy meals around the transition days helps, too.
Cheers,
Kevin