Working Nights

[youngblood]

For about the last month, I've been working nights. I usually fall asleep at 9pm, but since working on nights, I'm going to work at 10pm, till 8am. It bites. My sleep schedule is all screwed up!!!
The last few days, I've been looking forward to getting back on day shift, except everyone is calling me at 10am, or 11am, and waking me up!!! I can't fall back asleep usually, so I'm up after about 5 hours of sleep. Then I'll try to get a nap around 5-6pm. Of late, I can't even do that....I've been so tired, everything is suffering. My speech, I'm slurring words, getting words confused with one another, and just plain zoning out at a flashing light.
So, this weekend- oh yeah, since I'm working 10hr shifts, I get three day weekends which I thought would make it worth it.....- I'm looking forward to catching up on my sleep. But NOOOOOO, some people just won't let me!!! From Friday to Saturday, I was sleeping like a log, having gone to bed at 1am. At 11am I'm still OUT COLD and could tell that I would have been out another two hours, but my friend called me at 11:15 and woke me up!!! Damn it. Oh yeah, same thing on Thursday to Friday, my friend from Jury Duty calls me to relive his boredom and take him to lunch. Can't fall asleep again, so I might as well.
So last night, I go out to my friends b-day party and have a pretty damn good time. Get home at about 3am, and fall right asleep. At a little before 10am, the phone rings AGAIN, and someone is leaving a message. This time I eventually get back to sleep, thankfully. I wake up at 3pm a bit more rested. However, tonight I have to go into work (altered schedule today) at 2:45AM. So my body is totally out of whack.
Everything has been suffering. My eating; I'm living off beef jerky, protein shakes, and Diet Rockstars. Since I normally would train at the time I'm now sleeping, my joints aren't warmed up when I did get to the gym (I never missed a workout either!), and especially on legs my knees would be sore as well. So I did extra warm up sets, rode the bike, and still had to cut an extra 50lbs (in some cases more!) of some lifts. After all this, it was about time for my weeks break from the gym (been almost 4 months in there!) so I am halfway through a planned 2 week break, can't wait to get back in there after I make up some sleep!
I can't get anything done around the house either. Been meaning to do laundry (which gets done as soon as this is posted) for 2 weeks. Luckily I have enough clothes I'm not recycling. Certain bills, dishes, yard work, and activities have been put off.
So, sorry for the rant, just had to get it out there. I have 4 more nights left of this torture. Just hope that everything goes smoothly, and nothing outrageous occurs so I'm thrown farther out of whack.
Four more nights....four more nights....four more nights....

[Tim Wescott]

Dude,I don`t know how you do it......working nights sucks......especially at 10 hour days!!

I used to train with my cousins who were twin brothers and gym animals when I lived in Florida.......I worked nights and got absoulutely no sleep at all.

They would get out at 5PM and stick their heads through my bedroom door and ask if I was ready to go do legs!!!!!!!!!!!

If I were you,when I had these weird hours,I would just train lighter with less rest between sets......it would do you good,and you surely would lose nothing.

Just until you get back on a normal schedule.

Now get to hell to bed will ya` ?? ;D

[tawiii]

I hated working third shift (a long time ago). I'm not sure if my body would be able to handle it again. Sometimes I go through insomnia and it tears me apart. I have a hard time just walking

[youngblood]

I haven't trained for the last week, since it was time for a break, and it was nearly impossible to do everything I need ie; sleep, train, daily chores etc... So I took the time off, and my body feels much better for it. My joints, and my mind too.
How I do it? I just keep my eye on the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew it was going to be rough, but I had no idea it would be THIS rough. Coffee, which I don't usually drink on a regular basis has become my friend. Rockstars, sometimes both in one night. One night I had to down 3 Rockstars in order to stay awake. I was productive, but damn the crash can suck if it happens before you get home!
The worst part of not sleeping, for me, is when I get home I have to fall asleep to day light. I have a mask to block it out, but sometimes it doesn't help. When I'm only sleeping 4-5 hours a night, and I need my sleep, and it's 7am and light out, how in the world do I get to sleep?
Only four more nights, and I'm back to days. Four more nights, four more nights....

[RUBICON19]

Thats the worst YB. I feel for ya. I did a rotating shift once where you would do 12 hour shifts (7-7) for one month and then switch to 10 hour nights the next and back and forth. The schedule was like 3 days on 2 days off, 2 days on, 2 days off or something like that. I needed a calander in front of me at all times.
One day I got up to go to work. I went to get some gas. It was 6:00. I went into the store to pay and get some gum. Everyone was rushing in and out with beer and cigerettes. I was like, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, ITS 6 AM!!!!!! Well, It was really 6 PM on a friday night. I had NO clue. Figured out on my way to work.

[Vikingjoe93]

I worked night shift for about 6 months, i gained more weight then than i had my whole life. Night shift suxs.

[youngblood]

Got off work at 12pm, went to bed, could barely see my bed I was so out of it. I was making double and triple sure that a driving decision was made safely. I was making mistakes I normally don't do. I woke up just not, at 5pm my time. Five hours sleep, and I may be able to get back to sleep, for a few more hours, but then I'll have to be up at 8:30 in order to get ready and do it all over again. Though I only have to work 10pm tonight, to whenver I get done, hopefully around 3am. Go home and crash and get some sleep. That is, before this becomes a real physical endangerment to myself and those around me.

[Tim Wescott]

youngblood said:

Got off work at 12pm, went to bed, could barely see my bed I was so out of it. I was making double and triple sure that a driving decision was made safely. I was making mistakes I normally don't do. I woke up just not, at 5pm my time. Five hours sleep, and I may be able to get back to sleep, for a few more hours, but then I'll have to be up at 8:30 in order to get ready and do it all over again. Though I only have to work 10pm tonight, to whenver I get done, hopefully around 3am. Go home and crash and get some sleep. That is, before this becomes a real physical endangerment to myself and those around me.

Damn,that doesn`t sound good brother!!

I do the same thing as you,once I get up,even if I`ve only slept a short while,I have to stay up...........just can`t get back to sleep.

I have had wicked insomnia for years now.

[Intensity]

Sorry to hear that Youngblood. Defenitively, you are tougher than me… if i dont sleep at least 7-8 hours, i'll be mad and in a very very bad mood all day long!

But Youngblood, please… disconnect that d*** telephone ;D. I do this every night since i realized that my telephone number is an old fax number and i received 4-5 fax EVERY NIGHT! That's not great, i can assure you...

[youngblood]

Here it is, after pulling a 36hr bender....I don't know my ass from my elbow, Tim from Elvis Presley, or Mo from Jerry Seinfeld. ;D
Woke up to work Sunday night/Monday morning at 1:45am to be at work at 2:45am. Didn't get that done till noon yesterday. Then came home and slept for 4 hours (not my choice! ) and then tried to relax for a few hours. Went into work at 10pm yesterday, didn't get home till 8am. Fell asleep and woke up at 4pm today, and now it's almost time to get back to work again!!!
Two more days of this. Just two more days......

[Tim Wescott]

That is insane........hang in bro!!

[youngblood]

Insane, yes. But it's also reality at the moment. Day one of the two is about to commence. Just hang in there YB....you can do it!!!


(notice that I'm actually talking to myself? That's how delirious I am....)

[Tim Wescott]

You`ve officially lost it YB !! #ainsane1rk#

[youngblood]

It's over. It's all over, finally!!!
I can now wake up with normal people! I can now go out at night again. I can sleep whenever I need to, not just when I can due to daylight creeping through my "blackout shades."
Now, I'll be doing just about the opposite- getting up at about 3am to become a Class A licensed driver. But it's moving up in the company and that's what I want/need. I've been stagnant for the last few months, and my linear approach was going out the window. But I was able to rectify that situation so...

I'm back on track baby!!!! ;D

[Tim Wescott]

#highfive5wp# #woot4ho# #woot4ho# #woot4ho# #highfive5wp#

[Hoopie]

I've worked steady 10 hour nights for 14 years now! I love night turn.

[youngblood]

I'm glad you do hoopie. It was the worst for me. I'm sure some of it has to do with having to be up at 4am the last 2 years, then the next week-with no break-in period- having to be up at the time I go to bed and work!
Just takes a certain person to do it, and I'm a day time person. I love the sun, and the bikini's it brings out with it!!! ;D