Posted by dispatcher on March 30, 2004 at 12:51:19:In Reply to: Swing Shift , Help Needed posted by Liza Wake on October 10, 2003 at 16:05:30:
Liza, do you drink coffee or other caffienated beverages throughout these shifts?
I'm 49, many of the people I work w/are late 40s and mid 50s. Between shift rotation, employee shortages,
etc we swing back frequently (off at 11p, back at 7a or
off at 3a back at 11a or the worse on at 7a off at 11p and back at 7a, sometimes several days in a row).
I cant think of any of us who drink coffee past the first couple of hours on our shifts. We know that if we did we would never get to sleep when we get home.
I wont say that sometimes we arent tired, especially if we do a couple of fast backs in a row, but we dont seem to have the recovery period that you are require. So check your caffeine consumption.
Also, except for the days when you HAVE to get up
by an alarm clock, don't. Let your body have the sleep it needs. Forcing yourself to get up before you are ready just adds to your sleep deficiet.
Also you might ck w/your Dr, there maybe other contributing factors, like low thyroid or other hormones (think hot flashes).
I have 11 years to go til retirement and expect to work shift work all of them.