Body Clock (symptoms, vitamins, therapy, sleeping)

[StuckPA]

Is there any quick way to readjust body clock to new work shift? I used to have to wake up around 5 or 6 am,but I never could adjust to that. Likewise with my new work hours of 8pm-3 am or later. The time I feel most natural waking at is around 8 am and it is said that's when you have the most energy is when you naturally wake up.Of course I cannot work whatever hours I please right now.
So with this I've tried everything from melatonin to trying to stay up late to get into the groove of these new work hours,but no matter what I find myself getting drowsy around 2am. I've even also tried things like drinking things like iced tea or Coca Cola which usually gives me a burst every now and again but of course it doesn't work for me on a regular basis.
I don't want to lose this job,any tips?

[SifuPhil]

I've worked odd-jobs pretty much my entire life to support my teaching habit , and it's never easy to become adjusted to those graveyard shifts.

The trick of course is to first recognize where you're starting - for you, it seems 8am is your "normal" waking time (no doubt from years of keeping that schedule). Now you'll have to shift that almost 12 hours.

Here's a hint: 2-4am is the "dead time" - it's when most people in hospitals and nursing homes pass on, and it's also the time that many military operations are scheduled to strike, since the human body is at its lowest point energy- and awareness-wise. So you, like me, are fighting our body's natural instincts.

But there IS a natural "cycle" of sleeping/wakefulness that you can manipulate - it's called the Circadian Rhythm - the cycle of night and day in a 24-hour period. Generally it's controlled by temperature and light - our bodies are programmed to sleep when it's dark and cool, rather than sunny and warm. The trick is to slowly move your sleep times backward over a series of weeks so that eventually you get to the right cycle for your needs.

With your new work hours, I'd say that you should aim to sleep from around 10am to 6pm. You'll need to make your bedroom as dark as possible; wear a mask and/or earplugs if necessary. No caffeine for several hours before 10am. Like I said, this is a 12-hour shift for most people, and it can get darned confusing to the body.

If this still doesn't work after several weeks, then I don't know what to say. Can you get by on less sleep? That makes the process easier - I sleep only 2-3 hours per night and that allows me to work several jobs. Melatonin can be influenced by Light Therapy - you might want to look into that also. Some believe nutrition can alter your circadian rhythm, but to me that's the long way of doing things. Taking more B-complex vitamins will also help to a degree.

I don't know how you feel about them, but as a last resort would you consider sleeping pills?

[StuckPA]

I'm aware of most of those techniques,but thanks for the other tips.
As far as waking naturally at 8am,I'd only kept that schedule for about 6 or 7 months recently. Most of my working life has pretty much been the standard 9-5 with waking around 6 but believe it or not I never got used to getting up that early. I think the saying goes 'I'm not a morning person' Which is why I enjoyed the jobs working mostly flexible shifts anywhere from 10am on...there was no money in those jobs but I guess that was the tradeoff for that.

As far as the new hours,I'm so tired anyway when I get in after 3am that I just go to bed then. But then I automatically start waking up around that 10am at the latest that I'm used to,which doesn't give me the 7 or 8 hours of sleep that I need. I'm aware that some people can get away with less sleep...I'm one who cannot. I need at least 6-8 so I'm not groggy.
I also tried napping before work and also I stayed up until 6am the other day and slept until about 1 was about all I could do. I felt better when I started work but again I started losing it around 2 again.

One thing I read was that it could take up to a month to adjust,but 1)I don't they'll keep me that long if this keeps up and 2)Judging from my past inability to adjust,I may just never adjust. It's a decent job but I think I'm going to try and look for something a little earlier,I think I can do alright with maybe a 3pm-11 or whatever.

Another thing I read about was something called SWSD...shift work sleep disorder which sounds familar as I think I'm starting to recognize the symptoms.

[stone-ground]

Trying to get used to that schedule would be really difficult. Just seems too weird trying to sleep through the day, doesn't it?

There's just something sacreligeous about trying to sleep while the sun is shining and the kids are out playing, while the dogs are all barking away ..

Wish I had a helpful solution. Too bad the job's to your liking, but the whole-shift work sleep disorder thing really plays havoc on your well-being. Being tired all the time, you're only working at a portion of your normal capacity. I've heard shift-work takes years from your life.

Hope you find a solution, one way or the other.

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by stone-ground

Too bad the job's to your liking, but the whole-shift work sleep disorder thing really plays havoc on your well-being. Being tired all the time, you're only working at a portion of your normal capacity. I've heard shift-work takes years from your life.

That's good to know...as if stress hasn't already started to take it's toll
I could actually feel myself start to feel run down and the other symptoms of it such as fatigue,irritability,etc.
But I'm sure things will work themselves out,they usually do.

[stone-ground]

There was a really informative documentary a few months back, on 60 Minutes or something .. all about sleep deprivation.

Even if you miss a small amount of the eight hours, you're losing about 35% of your mental capability .. and that's for just a day!

And it keeps adding up until you are actually so tired, you're actually 'punch drunk'.

They did testing on college students, for about 3 months .. holding back a couple of hours of sleep per day. Turned out they couldn't even drive a car! They were so tired mentally and physically, it was like they were drunk driving.

Very interesting stuff!

[SifuPhil]

Originally Posted by stone-ground

I've heard shift-work takes years from your life.

For me it's been great - go shopping when everyone else is at work, avoid the traffic, etc.

Oh, wait, sorry - "etc." is Latin - I meant "and so on".

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by stone-ground

Even if you miss a small amount of the eight hours, you're losing about 35% of your mental capability .. and that's for just a day!

They did testing on college students, for about 3 months .. holding back a couple of hours of sleep per day. Turned out they couldn't even drive a car!

So thaat's what's happening to america huh?
Did it say anything about affecting people's voting decisions at all?

[stone-ground]

I think it may have suggested not to if at all too tired, or no available candidates.

Hey, I meant to help .. seriously. Sorry all I could bring you was doom and gloom.

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by stone-ground

Hey, I meant to help .. seriously. Sorry all I could bring you was doom and gloom.

S'alright,I tend to attract that stuff Although I can't see what you meant by doom & gloom.