# Going from 1st to 3rd shift, how to adjust



## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Lost our 3rd shift maintiance guy, now I have to go to 3rd shift from first. What are your thoughts to adjust. Many thanks in advance. Was told today to start Sunday nite! I already have sleep problens, take meletonin,


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Clear your schedule. Be ready to be a zombie for the first few days until you adjust.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The only thing that you can do is see if your body will adjust to it. Blackout your room and get some really bright grow lights to turn on when you wake up to go to work. That will help reset your bio clock. Not everyone can adjust.


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

I feel your pain, I've worked thirds for the last 5 years, there is no getting used to it. You do learn how to manage things better though. I also take melatonine, I black out my bedroom windows, and most importantly I make sure all my family/friends know my sleep schedule and when not to disturb me. Its difficult enough trying to sleep when your body is telling you no and dealing with a ringing phone or people barging in bugging you to wake up and do something at 1pm. In my case it took a couple times waking certain people up at 3 am to do the trick but eventually they got the message.


Also leave all the electronics alone before bed time.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Exercise and eat lightly. Cut back on alcohol (if you drink) and drink lots of water. I like the "grow light" idea that Pauls had and blacking out the bedroom windows.

Good luck.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Sleep double time before you go in the first day.
5 hour energy. Don't crash driving home.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Don't forget earplugs. Maybe even sleep/relaxation tapes. Sometimes I visualize a particularly pleasant horseback ride from memory to relax. I worked graveyards two years on a psyche unit...avoid caffeine if possible (easier said than done). On those long weekends go fishing or hunting (when you get off Friday morning and don't have to be back until Sunday midnight). Follow normal sleep hygiene protocols and the tips others have posted. Depending on how long you hold this shift, you may have to reset your clock a time or two by staying awake a full cycle. You'll be all right. Myself, I was miserable the full two years and remember very little of it.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

In my experience I mostly agree with Toolmanky. Put your bump in as soon as you can cause there ain't no getting used to graveyard unless your family makes the switch with you. Good luck. Maybe you can bid on a job you can hold days on?


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The bright grow lights will help to reset your bio clock and make it easier to stay awake. It still takes time. 

Stick, having little memory of it is a bad sign. You were probably sleeping while working. Doing the job on autopilot without thinking about it. That is when the worst work place accidents happen.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Sleep as long as you can before you start. Or just stay up. It might take a week or a month, but you will adjust.


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## darsk20 (Jun 1, 2015)

Worked swings and thirds for 4 years. Everybody's suggestions are great.

Black out curtains. Turn off phones. White noise machine.

You can do it, just be patient.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

I worked 3r shift for over 15 years in maintenance it was my preferred shift. It is a lot more laid back then the other shifts. Agree with all of them on darkening the windows.
But what worked best for me was to stay up after the shift was over and go to bed about 6 to 8 hrs before your shift starts. Then wake up and start your shift then it will seem almost like 1st shift. If you do like most people and go to sleep when you get home and are up for 8 or so hours before you start, you will be dragging before the end of your shift.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

My 3rd shift started for me about 1:30 PM on Sunday afternoon, . . . hit the sack until evening, . . . got up, . . . little TV, . . . family time, . . . off to work.

Came home Mon thru Thurs, . . . shower, . . . on with white noise, . . . into the bed before 8.

My son woke me up when he got home from school, . . . dinner, . . . family time, . . . off to work.

Friday morning, . . . did not hit the sack, . . . stayed up all day, . . . slept like a "normal person" on Friday night and Saturday night.

It won't work for everyone, . . . but for all the years in a UAW factory, . . . electrical maintenance, . . . worked for me.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I too had this problem. I had to black out the bedroom. With my wife working first shift, 
I'd sleep as soon as I got home so I would be awake when she was home. Sucked the big one.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

I would recommend, to adjust remember there is 12 hours in day and 12 hours of night-you will be working the night so make sure you tell everyone that might bug you what's going on cause they will unless you make it clear .
for me I would konk out as soon as I could when I got home so I could get enough sleep with out worrying about waking up late ad have the time to sleep longer if you need to, people that work nights actually need more sleep t is a fact.
on your days off just take a quick nap then get up do your thing and go to bed a your regular time OR stay on schedule as if you were working and if you need to go to bed when ever go -just as long as you don't mess up you work habits. the best thing is a routine to follow-find a hobby or start reading books cause at night when your awake it can be very boring -nothing on TV no one up and about stores start looking like ghost towns at 3 or 4 am so get used to it.
hopefully since you don't seem that your going to like working nights that it is only temporary -personal I loved working nights nobody bothered you and you had time during the day if you needed to run errands.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

PaulS said:


> The bright grow lights will help to reset your bio clock and make it easier to stay awake. It still takes time.
> 
> Stick, having little memory of it is a bad sign. You were probably sleeping while working. Doing the job on autopilot without thinking about it. That is when the worst work place accidents happen.


Tell me about it. Night shift, graveyard, psyche unit. I remember the exciting stuff, and there was plenty. Lots of admissions at night. Some people just never sleep, and staying awake at work was never a problem at all. Never a dull moment as they say. Nothing like a floridly psychotic schizophrenia-induced adrenaline dump if you think you're about to doze off. I remember fishing and hunting more than usual. What I meant was I don't remember much of my home life in those years. That was all auto pilot and coming down off the night's adrenaline. Wife and kids were gone to work and school but I could not get to sleep until about the time they got home, so didn't see much of them. Stephen King could not come up with some of the stuff I've seen and heard.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Night shift 3 12's back to back, love the long weekends!


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I worked shift work when I was a young man in Chicago. I hated it! The pay was good so I did it, but I never did adjusted completely. I worked that job for 3 years before circumstances allowed me to move on. My Aunt worked for Foster Forbes in Wisconsin for 30 years doing shift work and it didn't bother her a bit. However, her husband worked at the same place and worked the same shifts as her. Go figure. I had no family to contend with but I understand shift work can cause conflicts within some families so there is an adjustment they have to make as well. It helps if you enjoy your work. I hated the job in Chicago but had to make a living. Money talks in the end. We all have to do what we have to do. Good luck and I am sure you will make the adjustment just fine.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I've been working 12 swing shifts for quite a few years now (7 to 7 ) the first week or so is the hardest. Blackout your bedroom and get a big pedestal fan, the air feels great, and the sound drowns out outside noise. You'll be just fine.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Night shift, to me, has only two pros, one, less bosses and ore laid back, two, more money. 
Ditto on what everybody says, especially the first night. It sucks, but you will adjust.


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## GasholeWillie (Jul 4, 2014)

Slippy said:


> Exercise and eat lightly. Cut back on alcohol (if you drink) and drink lots of water. I like the "grow light" idea that Pauls had and blacking out the bedroom windows.
> 
> Good luck.


No need to black out the room and make it look like a drug growing operation. Get a sleep mask and comfortable ear plugs. Standard issue equipment by the company I work for, they encourage us to nap a lot.


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## GasholeWillie (Jul 4, 2014)

Seneca said:


> Night shift 3 12's back to back, love the long weekends!


so what did you do for the other 30 hours of work?


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

GasholeWillie said:


> so what did you do for the other 30 hours of work?


Sounds like 2-2-3 rotation of 12 hour shifts. That's what I do. 2 on 2 off 3 on then reverse. One week is 36 hours the next is 48 hours. It's a great schedule. Especially if you're in day shift.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Thanks to all for the replies. I guess my gripe is folks that say, I worked 3rd for years, no big deal. Yea, when they were 30, not 60. Appreciate all the suggestions.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

he he yah actually the older you get the less sleep a person requires not exactly sure why?
I figure it has to do with stress an older person doesn't freak out as much because of life experiences and also I have noticed that I sleep way deeper than I ever did.
but I am a night person I like it. I like the quietness and am definitely not a morning person -since I retired I have had the chance to experience sleeping til noon staying up til 4-or 5 -going to bed at 1900 and waking up at 5 am 
each has it bonuses - I feel more awake at midnight than noon but with kids now and such I have to be the first up and the last to bed by choice just my style.
the best advise I can give you is routine play around with it and find one that fits you and works -you body and your mind will be in better shape by sticking to it and so will everyone else around you.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

1skrewsloose said:


> Lost our 3rd shift maintiance guy, now I have to go to 3rd shift from first. What are your thoughts to adjust. Many thanks in advance. Was told today to start Sunday nite! I already have sleep problens, take meletonin,


Best of fortunes on that. We called 1st shift from Midnight til 8 AM. It took me about two years to get used to that. Our third shift was what we called evenings which ran from 4 PM till midnight. That was the busiest and craziest. Days were the pits especially in the summer. Try Magnesium supplements. They knock me out like a light. If you have a nice doctor get a sript for Dalmane..aka Flourazepam. Eight bucks on the insurance plan. Took that for years but now they are demanding a full blown drug screen to dispense the stuff. I told the crazy guy..I need pills..not a job..lol.


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## darsk20 (Jun 1, 2015)

1skrewsloose said:


> Thanks to all for the replies. I guess my gripe is folks that say, I worked 3rd for years, no big deal. Yea, when they were 30, not 60. Appreciate all the suggestions.


My Dad, currently 64, has been on 3rd for the past couple of years. Hard to get used to, but he has. And it's better than 2nd.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Well, I decided on a drop dead date. Off the last two weeks of this month, then going to have them fire me. Doc says I have SWSD, shift work sleep disorder. Just cannot do it anymore! Not too worried, re-financed, can live off the wifes wages. Have 9 months of cash on hand for me to pay the mortgage. Hoping for unemployment, but if not, no biggie. Thanks for all the suggestions, sorry that none of them worked. Btw, Doc wanted to give me prescription speed for the overnite, insurance wouldn't cover any of it. $372 a month, I said thanks, but no thanks.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

I can relate. Sorry it came to that but it's good you have your options. 

I've been doing it for about a year and sleeping in small intervals. 
Come home, take grands to school, hit the sack. 
Get up at 2m get grands from school, do homework. Fix/eat supper. 
When mom comes home, hit the sack again for a little before going back to work.
I'm ready for this to be over! It's a killer at 55 too.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Yea, not good for home life, daughter is home from college and says to Mom, why did you marry such a grouch? I wasn't always this way! 
Trying to get back on 1st shift schedule, not there yet , but better than going the other way. Crap, 3 in the morning and I'm still up!


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I've actually slept from 2 in the afternoon till 2 in the am. and woke up tired! How can that be, one might ask!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

1skrewsloose said:


> I've actually slept from 2 in the afternoon till 2 in the am. and woke up tired! How can that be, one might ask!


I pulled a six month stint on 3rd shift a few years ago. I blacked out my bedroom windows and used white noise generators to block out the sounds made by the normal people of the world. The day before starting 3rd, I stayed up all night and went to bed with the rising of the sun. I fell right into the 3rd shift routine.

My problem was that I started to sleep longer and longer. I was either at work or I was asleep. I felt great when I was awake, but those hours were only for work!

I hope you can get back to a better shift as soon as possible. They've proved that 3rd shift takes time off your life.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Long ago, I got stuck working crazy hours.
Shift ran from 7am to 7pm, then in seven days 7pm to 7am for six.
Ran 13 days straight, then one off.
That was the production line for zombies.
I was so screwed up, both physically and mentally.
I walked in one day after about six months of this, just picked up my tool boxes and left.
That was going in on the Sunday night shift.
Had a new job Monday afternoon.
At that place I ran a vertical mill you could park a truck on.
Also, I was running that machine when they announced JFK had been assassinated.
IF possible stay on days, families stay together better that way.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I work 12 hour swing shifts days to nights and back again. A little hard at first, but you will get used to it. All I can say is find what works for you. I have double blinds, (the roll kind, that you pull down) in my bedroom, when down, really dark, I also use a pedestal fan, I like the cool breeze, and the noise drowns out any outside noise, very useful during grass cutting season. Once you get use to the fan, you won't wanna sleep without it. The sleep hours (now here's the weird part) when I'm on midnight (7pm to 7am) I come home usually get in bed at 8am, I shower at work. sleep till 11 am. Goof around, watch tv nothing too strenuous, then back in bed at 2pm and back up at 5:30pm to get ready for work. The key is find what works for you. After working 12 hours all these years an straight 8 hour midnight shift doesn't sound too scary to me. I know people who work and love them would not trade them for dayshift for anything, say they can get more done. It may seem as though it sucks big time right now, but it might be a blessing in disguise.
*EDIT*
Oh, by the way, I work this 12 hour shift by choice, I could've been on 8 hour daysift years ago. I like working alone, I get my choice of vacation, I get a long break every 3 weeks (there is also days off during those three weeks) and mostly I don't have to deal with all the BS brown nosers as often.


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## DadofTheFamily (Feb 19, 2015)

It's a mind over matter thing. I did it for three years when I was under-employed.


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