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I moved to days 2 weeks ago after 8 years of nights and my mental health is already improving. Gl
I can relate. I miss spending afternoons with my husband and I cry almost everyday before work starts. I feel tired majority of the time and my mental health is okay now because of my anxiety medication that I just started taking.
This was exactly me. Then I hit rock bottom and requested to move to dayshift. Request was approved, now I’m working normal hours again like a normal person lol
I’m working normal hours again like a normal person lol
That's the ultimate dream at this point xD
Nights are ok but you have to get use to it
Nights didn’t cause it, dysfunctional family did
waaay worse,
anxiety, depression, 15 kg extra, sleep deprivation, dull skin, black circles around my eyes
Between shifts roughly 4-5, When my days off? Pfff same I developed SWSD shift work sleep disorder. It wasn't a thing at the beginning, but after 1,5 years of working night shift it turned into hell.
But I must say I had a sleeping problem before so night shift made it significantly worse.
Interesting how different our experiences are. Working nights helped me a lot because I was forced to stick to a routine. On days I could be like meh, two hours of sleep last night caffeine will fix it but on nights it’s 100% a completely different type of tired on top of the the exhaustion that develops from fighting your brain. I slept a lot of times better in the day than I would at night as a first shifter probably cause I have delayed sleep phase syndrome. I think the best of both is second shift I can still sleep like midnight to 8am and be at work at 2pm. Function like a second shifter but I won’t sleep like one
the problem in my case is rotation shifts which is even worse than alone night shifts. I work 2 days. 2 nights 4 days off. I can't really stick to the routine due to my schedule. People say, it's only 2 nights, 2 nights can't disrupt my circadian rhythm. Oh, yes, they absolutely can
Oh 100% does, I used to flip back and forth on weekends and try sleeping Sunday nights for my 8am’s and sleep in like 1-2 hour stints and finally say screw it and get up at 3am and then go to sleep after class at like noon, I could never work a rotating shift like that but I respect people that try. That’s a long time to try and catch up.
I am going to be honest, it's better.
But if you are asking about the effect of night shift on mental health, it's negative although it can become only a minor nuisance once you get used to it.
Took me some time to adjust to nights, but things are great now
How long did it take you? I’m a month in as a hospital social worker, 7pm-7am. I love the night shift staff and overall vibe, especially having 4 days off but really struggling on my days off/feeling connected if that makes sense. I just feel tired and out of it too often.
Yea I get that. Took me 6 months ish to feel connected. Just have to find a sleep schedule that works for you
Ok, that makes me feel better. Glad to hear you’re in a good place now with it. It’s a bigger adjustment than I thought it’d be. It is ultimately worth it, happier with people I work with compared to my day experience but yeah, I think developing consistency and structure will help. I feel like I’ve been isolating on my days off.
If you're bouncing back and forth between day-life and night-life on your days off and work days that makes it much more difficult. Fully embracing the 7-7 hours for everyday will help a lot with energy levels, and socializing.
That’s why I at least make a point on at least Sunday to sleep in the evening time. However I could go to sleep at 8pm and still wake up at midnight, I just did it so it’s gonna take a while to flip back to days for school.
Yeah, that’s what I’ve been told by other night shift coworkers. I think I’m struggling to accept this because I want to be embrace a full day on my days off but it’s hard to switch on/off.
Yeah, it's rough some nights 😅, if you have low enough light pollution, learning constellations kinna helps, I used to know a few but now I live in a more lit up area so my nights off I don't get to look at them as much.
Night shift hospital social worker here too! I just switched to nights a couple weeks ago, and I am also struggling on my days off. I have been trying to keep the same schedule on my days off which has been good in terms of energy and bad in terms of trying to figure out what to do with all this free time in the middle of the night on nights off when everyone I know is asleep and everywhere is closed, and it does feel a little lonely
Oh nice, ok! So we are basically in same boat. I’m officially at 4 week mark. Are you liking it? I’m in the ED so I work Wednesday-Friday every week then Saturday-Tuesday off so it’s nice to have consistency but I’m still struggling to feel “normal” and making me emotionally up and down. I think I really need to do the same, keeping same schedule as well even on days off. My Tuesday into Wednesday, I do stay up all night til about 7am, and tend to do my big cleaning for the week throughout the night and then go to bed in order to “switch back.”
Can either of you suggest a nighttime sleep schedule? I am also 7 to 7am
I work Wed-Friday every week, so I tend to stay up til 7am-8am on Wednesdays and then past out until a 330pm-4pm before my 7PM Wednesday shift. Thursday and Friday mornings after my shifts, I go to bed around 830AM and wake up at 430PM. As of my Saturday-Tuesday days off, still figuring that out. I won’t sleep that long Saturday morning and then go to bed early Saturday night to try to “switch back” to a day time life so I can enjoy as much day light and social time as well as errands but I believe that is what my biggest issue has been in terms of adjustments. I also just think I need to give myself more months to settle. I need a lot of structure so developing that on my days off will help. My night shift friends all say working out consistently and nourishing your body is key but still working on that too. One thing I do know is I can’t do the nap method on days I work. Some people will sleep in two sessions which works for them, but I need one big sleep. Good luck!
Thank you so much. I hope this will help me!🙌🏼
Good luck to you as well with fine-tuning your sleep schedule :)
Nightshift improves my anxiety- (exposure therapy doesn’t work for me) but it’s still there. Day shift is very, very detrimental to my mental health
Better, because I have a job
Well put.
9 years happiest I’ve ever been.
Due to family issues I'm a disaster. Working on it
Suffering tbh. I miss sleeping like a normal person, hate walking home and the sun is shining. Hate the fact I can't sit and watch movies in the night with my family. I miss my social life but here we are.
Tbh way better since I switched to nights! I love my job
Same for me. Depressed during dayshift, depressed during night shift. No better, no worse.
Shattered. Lol.
It was bad long before nights but working nights definitely didn’t help.
JUST finished my 1st week. I wanna share something:
because my sleeping schedule is fucked, life feels like a dream to me. When i’m awake - before my shift - I feel like everything around me is not real and I hear people’s voices lower. When i clock in i start feeling normal then i go to sleep right after work, wake up feeling the same! weird feeling.
Ha yes. I’m a month in and still feel that dream like feeling you’ve described. Just disconnected until I work.
I feel the same way. Like I don’t get depression or anxiety, but I feel kinda zombie-fied until I start my shift (maybe because it gives me something to focus on? Idk). Other people in my life have noticed it too.
Good. Less stress, I'm strict with my sleep (7-8 hours), keep a night schedule on my nights off. Its taken me 6 weeks to get to this point. Next plan is to get the diet sorted and back on the running.
Suffering but I’ll live
It's actually gotten better since switching to graveyard shift (11:30 p.m. till 6 a.m.). When I was on first shift I had to deal with so much drama and crazy co-workers. Now I work mostly by myself and it is quiet and peaceful, drama free, hardly any bosses and nobody looking over my shoulder. I am being paid more money for working less hours (get paid 8 hours for working 6 1/2 hours). As long as I sleep during the day when I get home (8 a.m. till 3 p.m.), I have more time with my family then I did before. My disposition is better, my attitude is better, and I'm in a better mood. I have time to be with my family, exercise, do chores and even have some personal time. Before, I would wake up early to be at work for 5:30 a.m. on first shift by 6 p.m. I would be so tired and grumpy that I would have zero patience for my 4 year old son and wife. Now when I wake up, they are just coming home from work/school and I am fresh and much happier. Now stressed from workplace drama.
Sure, I get tired around 8 p.m., but that's like the afternoon slump, just I used to get it around 2 p.m. when I was working days. Yes, the flip flopping on the weekend so that I can go to church Sunday afternoon is challenging. And yeah, it sucks a little that I go in to work Sunday night because technically it is my Monday shift... BUT... when day shift shows up, they are just starting their Monday, mine is already done, I am one day ahead! I love it, I will never leave third shift!!! They couldn't pay me to go back on first!
I don’t like night shift at all, but it has no real impact on my mental health one way or the other. Even though I don’t like night shift, I make it work the best that I can. As soon as a dayshift opening pops up I’m taking it, but until then, uh, I’ll make it work while I hate it at the same time lol.
Nightshift is going somewhat okay for me. It helps i get 3-4 days off a week to recover (factory work).but I must say always at around 1-2 o'clock in the morning I'm always hit with this huge feeling of loneliness even though my significant other works nights too. Then at around 3-4 I get a little better knowing my day is almost done
I only get hit with the loneliness on my days off. At work I work alone, but I prefer that anyways. At home my wife and I are up and awake up the same time. She’s on days but we’re both awake and home at the same time. I sleep while she’s at work and she sleeps while I’m at work. My nights off are when I get lonely. She’s asleep and I’m awake all alone on the couch or out in the garage.
My is fine. Work at 12 am off at 8am sleep till 3-4pm hang out with my friends / family in the evening
Some people have shitty work/life schedule that being at night has nothing to do with it.
Better than it’s ever been most days. But then again I finally found a med that works, got into a work position that I love and had some other things fall into place.
Terrible
Very fine, my shift is usually very easy and calm, lots lots of freedays, like 10 days every 2 weeks:1 week 2 nights and second week 5 nights, i'm able to. sleep just when i come back, like 3 or 4 hours and be fine, if needed i add 1or 2 hours nap. I enjoy my own company and to do my geek things but i can see friends and social things when i want. Was only hard last week when i had to take the shift of my coworker and did 7nights in 10days while parents were staying in my home to visit me and fix things.
I only work 2 nights out of 5 days and I feel the days around night shift are getting tough and my mental health has been worsening.
During the day it’s okay because I get distracted, but as soon as 1-2 pm kicks in (right now btw) my mind keeps spiralling. I’ve been paranoid and insecure about many things lately and I’m almost certainly that being alone all night is not helping; I noticed this sudden change as soon as I started this job. I cannot control it although I try to find something to do after I’m done with the tasks. Also, the 2 days after night shifts my body needs more sleep to recover and it is not helping either
Been about 6 months since I switched to night shift fully. It definitely wasn't the best on day shift but I got more time to myself now with the switch, so that's gotta count for something I guess. Finally got the sleep schedule down so I'm happy for that.
I have severe anxiety (on meds) this has nothing to do with night shifts because it was the case way before i even had a job.
Job improved my life generally, and nights are ok for security work.
My mental health was always excellent on graveyards. SADS hit me every so slightly harder in the winter as I'd truely have weeks with only a few minutes of sunlight. But just my general overall work stress and anxiety was at rock bottom when I had no management annoying me and no distractions from the work I needed to do. I feel like my productivity and mood were the best I've ever had and that had a great effect on my wellbeing.
just the same for me
I don't get much sleep, so my mental health is suffering for it. Trying to work on a better sleep routine.
Pretty shit, but not because of night shift. Be worse if I was on days
I work rotating shifts, including nights. It was great for my mental health the first 19 years, but now it's beginning to affect it negatively.
Not great.
My mental hath has always been bad. The nights haven't triggered it, I've always had it since a teen
Not great. I see my gf for like 6 hours a week and the rest I spend alone. It's very lonely and I just spend most every hour I'm not at work asleep. I wanna get off night shift so bad. Doesn't help that my job doesn't allow anything electronic in the facility so it's, reading on breaks and staring into space the rest of the time.
I complained about life a lot but still appreciated it, and I can quickly adjust my mood and attitude, so my mental health is nothing to worry about.
So much better honestly. I love my hours, I work 3x12 so I get a good amount of days off, I can exercise and prioritize my mental health and enjoy some sunlight, and I honestly just really enjoy my job. I think I'm in a better place right now than I can ever remember
Best in years actually
Absolute shit at the moment.
Anxiety better, depression worse
It's so bad right now. I feel like I have no friends. I do have friends, they're just asleep when I'm awake and vice versa. I have no roommate or S.O., and I work from home, so I feel very isolated lately.
I started doing night work in Jan 2023. I really liked it until a couple months ago when I started to feel this way.
I'm the happiest and healthiest that I've been since working nights. Started 5 months ago.
My length of sleep and quality is better than ever. I started running again as I have more time in the day to do it and can do it when I get up instead of struggling to or not doing it after work like I used to when working days.
Going shopping at 6am after work is bliss. I get it done in half the time cos there nobody in the shops.
I don't have to miss school performances or parents evenings, appointments etc. I have time to go watch the football if I want to as I'm not at work when the matches are on.
I get more time with my kids. I have more time to spend on my hobbies.
Nights has been a blessing and I wish I had done it years ago. Not to mention I got an extra £6000 a year for going on nights so my financial situation has improved as well.
Make sure you're all getting plenty of vitamin D. It's crazy jpe depressed I can get when my levels drop
Been doing it for 20 years, not even the same person as I was then and I’m pretty damn happy now so it’s not done me any harm.
Mine is the same
Doing much better mentally and physically. I left a day shift position specially for overnights so I could get a rest from everything and everyone. I’m very grateful to have this option.
better, my day job has me talk to the public and is stressful
my night job has me in peace with my headphones on, plus the job itself is fun
Not great but I work in youth residential psych and we've had more than our normal amount of escalations, property damage and group defiance this last month so it's rough. Plus outside of my work and stuff I have PDD, GAD, PTSD, ADHD, and ASD so even with the smoothest job my mental health is on the edge of a cliff.
I do prefer overnights and outside of some self-care and coping tasks being inaccessible while working NOC I think I'd be in a similar boat working any other full time position.
Hanging on by one single tenuous thread, thanks for asking.
To quote the great Robin Williams from Death to Smoochy.
Man: “You ok?”
Robin “I’m kind of fucked up in general so it’s had to gauge”
It’s great honestly. I only have little lulls and it’s nothing to do with my shift
Bored outta my gourd.
I have a thing I need to do with a person, but they might need a few hours. Medical, so can't clarify.
im 5 years in and unwell
Definitely better. My day job was hell mentally. Felt like I was in solitary confinement
Take vitamin D tabs.. makes a difference
It is what it is. I feel mostly better working nights than I do when I work days or evenings. I don’t fit in well with society. Never have. Pretending to just tires me out and causes anxiety and such.
Better now my dog is a bit older and I'm not getting only 2-3 hours sleep. I still can't wait for the day I go back to days though. Hate the shorter weekends, less sleep, missing out on time with my family and time to myself as well.
Never would've gone on nights if I had known what I do now.
It’s in the shitter, tbh.
Not good. I’ve been doing this for two years and I’m ready to dip.
I miss being on the same schedule as my family, friends and fiancé. I miss being able to go to late night events. I miss socializing. I miss the sun.
My fiancé desperately wants me to quit but I’m in the start of my career so I feel I must stay to build my resume. Once my fiancé finishes his residency and starts making a shit ton of money, I’m out immediately.
Better.
But I wish to switch day for a few months and then get back to Night
It wasn’t terrible, I could tolerate the loneliness cause I worked Monday through Friday and on weekends I could see my friends cause I’d stay up all day but I managed to still sleep a lot of the time in the evening or late at night like on Sundays it would be 5-10pm or 9pm-2am etc so I would still stay on schedule when moving from Sunday to Monday. It was bad when I worked part time, the intrusive thoughts were strong when I was driving to work a couple times, while my friends were literally at my house cause me and my brother share the same friend group. Tonight is my last night not only on nights but working in general for the next complete year so I can finish school. I might come back to my night shift brethren if/when I move out of state but for now with all my friends here I’ll probably be more of a 2nd shifter or more of a part time vampire if you will instead of a full time vampire. I hate first shift, and I hate the isolation on third shift. Personally, ik 2nd shift is tough for most people but it gives me a beautiful in between.
I'm in therapy now 🙃
I feel like I have become more irritable and overwhelmed lately. I just feel like I don't have enough time to enjoy myself and be selfish.
Never was great but this job didnt help. Shit job, never see the sun, couldnt go out and see friends even if i had any, plus i work 12’s and they arent even set up good (3 on; 2 off, 2 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3off so on) so i barely get actual rest more than once every 2 weeks. Im exhausted.
It's pretty great. I get laid regularly and have plenty of human interaction. That's really the key to keeping yourself from falling apart. It's easy to become isolated when being on overnights.
Not great but still better than day shift. Psych hospitals are less stressful at night.
According to the ghosts at my property and the wall people I converse with,we collectively agree that I am fine, but the day walkers are out of their mind with envy of our glorious nature.
I worked nightshift for a little over 5 years. My average sleep during time was between 5-5.5 hours a night. I was emotional, irritable, with wild mood swings, and very depressed. I had to be put on Setraline HCL because I was having mental breakdowns at work.
When I moved to second shift, while the hours were a little more socially lonely, I was on a much more regular sleep schedule, and had a normal schedule with other peoole on my days off. Slowly, my mental and physical well-being started improving. I came off the Setraline, started averaging closer to 7 hours of sleep a night, and overall started feeling much better. I didn't realize how TREMENDOUS a difference it really was until my friends started unpromptly saying how much happier I seem. (I also didn't realize my depression was that outwardly noticeable.)
And then last week, after 2 years on second shift, I unexpectedly got moved to a (mostly) 1st shift (with only 5 second shifts per month.)
HOLY SHIT. It feels amazing. I haven't slept so well or felt so great since I was in high school.
You don't really notice the extent of how bad shift work is for your mental health until you're on it for a while, and then get off of it.
I wouldn’t be able to do it if I didn’t have 4 days off a week. I work 7p-7a. 4 on 4 off.
Awful. I feel quite isolated. My job is a bit physically demanding as well. So, I work hard all week, struggle to sleep in the middle of the day, only to sleep away my weekends, neglecting chores and visiting my family. I commend anyone that can do it long term. I'm going to try to transfer when I can.
Uh terrible I’m on depression and anxiety medication working nights also sleeping medicine
Honestly not awesome and I regret spending all the years I have on third, it's been the cause of a lot of isolation and problems in my life romantically and otherwise
As a gamer, yes
I’m great and so am I.
Had to leave nights and this was one of the reasons. Felt off all the time and my motivation was in the gutter. Money is good, but just couldn’t do it anymore.
Depends how many days off you have in a row in my opinion. I get four, so I’m fortunate to get to experience the lack of traffic on night shift and the normal day life on my days off, however I can understand why someone who only gets 2 days off is less happy
No worse than it would be if I worked days.
What's with all the folks in here who hate working nights?
According to the President, the economy is great. Go get a normal job, daywalkers
i hate my job, but not because its at night
Horrible. I miss walking around in the evenings and chilling out after work, like a normal person.
I cry pretty much every day. Working on it tho.