Burning the midnight oil
I was looking through some of the recent hits to my blog (yes, I AM watching you) and I noticed that someone came here through a Google search for sleep shifting (or something related to it). Since there seems to be so much interest in it I've decided to give you a step by step instruction on how to properly adjust your body for working through obscene hours of the night. This will go on the assumption that your shift begins around midnight on a Sunday.
Friday night: Party it up because the week ahead of you is going to suck. You'll be waking up and going to sleep at odd hours of the day and, due to this fact, your body won't know what to do with itself. Outside of work (and even this is questionable) you'll be useless. Have a good time tonight because it'll be your last opportunity for a while.
Saturday: See Friday night
Saturday Night: Don't forget to stretch because it's going to be a LONG night. The objective of this night is to stay awake as long as possible. I generally aim for 4-5a.m. I typically don't have a problem with this seeing how I'm very good at keeping myself busy with either movies or random projects to do around the apartment. The impressive part is that I do it entirely without the aid of caffeine. Don't drink it normally and I see no reason to start now. The key to staying awake: NO ALCOHOL. That might be obvious but if you think staying out late by hitting up a huge party is a good idea, think again. It might keep you awake but considering that you're already asking your body to adjust itself to odd sleep/wake cycles, you want to treat it as nicely as possible. Stay away from the booze.
Sunday Morning: Sleep in, but not too late. Make sure you're still tired through the day.
Sunday Evening: Take a nice, long nap. A few hours if you can. This should give your body that final chunk of rest it needs to make it through your first shift.
How you sleep after this is up to you. I end up staying awake for an hour or two after work and then putting in 7-8 hours of sleep during the day, but I also have no trouble sleeping in daylight so everyone will differ on this. The key is to make sure you get enough sleep. No point in putting more strain on your already tired body.
Now, wasn't that interesting?
Random partial lyric of the day:
When I'm deep inside of me
don't be too concerned.
I won't as for nothin' while I'm gone.
But when I want sincerity
tell me where else can I turn.
Because you're the one I depend upon.
Friday night: Party it up because the week ahead of you is going to suck. You'll be waking up and going to sleep at odd hours of the day and, due to this fact, your body won't know what to do with itself. Outside of work (and even this is questionable) you'll be useless. Have a good time tonight because it'll be your last opportunity for a while.
Saturday: See Friday night
Saturday Night: Don't forget to stretch because it's going to be a LONG night. The objective of this night is to stay awake as long as possible. I generally aim for 4-5a.m. I typically don't have a problem with this seeing how I'm very good at keeping myself busy with either movies or random projects to do around the apartment. The impressive part is that I do it entirely without the aid of caffeine. Don't drink it normally and I see no reason to start now. The key to staying awake: NO ALCOHOL. That might be obvious but if you think staying out late by hitting up a huge party is a good idea, think again. It might keep you awake but considering that you're already asking your body to adjust itself to odd sleep/wake cycles, you want to treat it as nicely as possible. Stay away from the booze.
Sunday Morning: Sleep in, but not too late. Make sure you're still tired through the day.
Sunday Evening: Take a nice, long nap. A few hours if you can. This should give your body that final chunk of rest it needs to make it through your first shift.
How you sleep after this is up to you. I end up staying awake for an hour or two after work and then putting in 7-8 hours of sleep during the day, but I also have no trouble sleeping in daylight so everyone will differ on this. The key is to make sure you get enough sleep. No point in putting more strain on your already tired body.
Now, wasn't that interesting?
Random partial lyric of the day:
When I'm deep inside of me
don't be too concerned.
I won't as for nothin' while I'm gone.
But when I want sincerity
tell me where else can I turn.
Because you're the one I depend upon.
posted by The Rube at Tuesday, December 20, 2005
2 Comments:
Hey Dave,
The only problem I seem to have is the added requirements of the job. We have classes sometimes during the day and all the sudden your sleep schedule has to be altered in the middle of a week. You also have the advantage of being single(in this sense at least) when your significant other wants to sleep with you in the g-rated type you can't help but say yes. So even if you are on this shift you switch back and forth every couple of days. There is the challenge in this shift, trying to be selfish for your sleep and still having relationships with those close to you. Pardon the incoherent ramblings of another member of the walkind dead(we all kind of look like that after going in at night and coming out with the sun on high)
Jon (Patti's husband)
Your advice sounds well thought out and made me scratch my chin and strike a pondering pose.
If people really want to sleep shift, they should all get paper routes. I guarantee their body will become acclimated in a short amount of time to an opposite night/day schedule.
The only downside is that once you reverse your sleep pattern, you start to grow fangs, prefer slumbering in a coffin to your bed, and you find yourself with a strange appetite for blood. Oh, yeah, and sunlight starts to make you cringe. Welcome to my life!
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