Becky has been at work for a just over a month now, in a care home. She's working part time, 2 shifts a week and is loving it. To start with she had a full on week. Monday at college, a 12 hour shift at work, college on Wednesday and then another 12 hour shift on the Thursday. She was exhausted but had to do the two 12 hour shifts as part of her training.
For the past few weeks she has been doing night shifts. She was dreading them, thinking that she would end up falling asleep in the middle of the night but so far so good.
Becky has got herself into a little routine. The night before her night shift she stays up as late as she can, usually till about midnight, goes to bed and then sleeps until about 10am on the day of her night shift. She will have something small to eat like toast or cereal and then potter around until about 2pm when she will have something to eat and go in the bath. Then at about 3pm she will go back to bed and sleep for a few hours until it's time to get up for work.
I used to work in a factory when I was Becky's age and worked 3 weeks of shifts. 7am till 3pm, 3pm, till 11pm and 11pm until 7am. I always found the night shift the worst. I mastered the art of having a power nap in my half hour break and I am sure there were times which I slept with my eyes open, stood up. lol I used to struggle to sleep during the day and always felt tired.
Becky is one of those lucky people who can sleep no matter what time of the day it is, no matter how much light or noise there is. The only issue she has found with sleeping during the day is that she had to shut her window to block out some noise but then her bedroom ended up roasting. She has a fan in there now but thankfully it has been a lot cooler since she was sleeping for her first night shift.
At work Becky is having no problems about feeling tired. She is either busy or when she is just watching people sleep she has books to read and colouring in books to keep herself awake.
The first morning after a night shift she came in, had something to eat and said she felt wide awake but decided to go to bed anyway, within 10 minutes she was sound asleep. lol She has said she would rather do night shifts than have to get up early in the morning for the day shift.
Have you worked night shifts before? How did you get on?
I really admire your daughter for working night shifts, I don't think that I could manage it, well done to her! I've never even stayed up all night before, I definitely need my sleep!
ReplyDeleteI have never worked night shifts (other than being a mom with sick kids on occasions) and I don't now how people do it. I have a really hard time managing to stay up even until 11 pm!
ReplyDeleteGlad Becky is getting on well with her night shifts and being able to sleep anytime is such a gift with things like that. I never really minded doing night shifts but I always found 5am-7am was the toughest time with trying to stay awake.
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear Becky is settling in with her night shifts. I did nights when I worked in care, but I did prefer the day shifts. x
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