Well, now I'm on the night shift. Ask me anything.

[Brigid]

How am I supposed to sleep in the middle of the day? :crazy:

[Tobin S.]

1. It took me a long time to get used to working nights

About 2 years. I work midnight to 9am now and it's working out okay for me. But let me tell you, it can be really difficult to change that biological clock. Make your bedroom as dark as possible and maybe set up some kind of background noise deal- a fan or some alarm clocks come with that feature. I've got one like that.

[av8rdave]

2. I can sympathize

I'll be on the night shift Thursday night/Friday morning.

No fun.

If it helps, I learned early on to just go to sleep when you feel sleepy. If you try to force yourself to get a certain number of hours of sleep, it won't work.

A few hours of heavy sleep will do you a lot more good than 8 hours of tossing and turning.

[rebel with a cause]

3. Hopefully you have no children.

I worked nights for three years while raising a teenage son. We had to move to a new town for the job and he did not fit in well in the new school. He insisted on me taking him to school, pick him up for lunch, take him back and then pick him up after school. I got two hours of sleep at most at a time. Rough time. I still have times where I cannot sleep at night. Part of my PTSD I guess.

Now for your problem. If you cannot get sleep, even after darkening your room and other things suggested then I would suggest trying some mild sleep enhancing medication until you get into the new sleep rhythm. Working overnights is a necessity sometimes but it can be a killer. No joking.

[Wapsie B]

4. Just try to keep a regular night schedule as much as you can, even on days off.

Don't try to shift yourself back and forth between sleeping days and nights. I've seen factory workers who work 3-4 12's overnight with 3-4 days off then go to day shift for the next part of the cycle. Trying to deal with that schedule makes people a real mess. And on a day off a boss just happens to need an "important meeting." Kraft is great for doing this.

But keep to a regular schedule. Turn off the ringer on the phone. Let all your friends and neighbors know that you'll be sleeping days. If you're married or living with someone get it through their heads that 12 noon is like 1AM to them, off limits and you're not to be awakened unless there's a fire or tornado. You'd be surprised how difficult it is for some to comprehend that last point.

[trof]

5. You might try melatonin to help you acclimate.

I've used it and it seems to help.
It's OTC and no hangover for me.

[kentauros]

6. Can I legally get painkillers stronger than Percocet?

Has anyone yet invented a drug to reverse the effects of dental neglect? I could use a few hundred doses about now...

[Skittles]

7. I've done it almost 30 years - while living in apartments

you want I should kick your whiny daytime ass and show you how, Ms. Brigid?