They changed my work hours, drastically!

Virgochik

I used to start work at ten A.M., and get off at seven P.M. Wow, now they tell me, Monday morning, I start at six A.M! I'll be showering in the dark. I'll be going to bed about eight-thirty. I was used to staying up till ten-thirty, to ~~spoil~~ post on Crazyblondeb's thread. Now everyone will post after me, because I have to go to bed early like a baby! In the summertime, it'll still be light when I go to bed.

Seriously... can anyone suggest good ways to adjust my body clock to the new sleep schedule? I'll go from:

Going to sleep when it's dark, and getting up when the sun shines thru the blinds...to:

Going to sleep when it's light, and getting up when it's still dark out.

Any suggestions appreciated, meantime, boy will I be crabby!

Good nite!

JWdaughter

Just do it! Go to bed at the right time to wake up on time in the morning and your body will get the message eventually.

Shelly

AudeSapere

Wow!! That's a serious change in working/waking hours.

5 years ago I went from a job where I could come and go as I pleased to a new one where I had to be there at 6am. It was brutal. I have never been a morning person.

I hate to tell you this but I needed to create a sleeping routine and environment. Very methodical in order to calm down for early sleep. I had to use sleeping pills, too. It helped me get into the new routine. I still hated it but at least I got a little sleep.

The pills prescribed by my doc were pretty mild (Temazapam - generic for Restoril). They weren't 'knock-out' pills - just helped my brain be quiet. I could be easily roused, if needed. I still keep some in my medicine cabinet for nights when I just can't get to sleep.

The good thing about getting up so early is that sometimes you are just too tired to even realize that you are actually 'up' - and by the time you wake up, your day is nearly over. It's pretty nice getting out of work at 3pm when the sun is still shining and the stores are still open and you have a little energy left in you.

Enjoy!

-Aude.

jayhawk1

Good Luck with the schedule change. At least your employment didn't switch your schedule like I had to do...

start time 5am (3 days)

end time 5pm

6 weeks later...

start time 5pm (3 days)

end time 5am

and then 8 weeks later...

start time 5am (3 days)

end time 5pm

and then 4 weeks later...

start time 4pm (5 days)

end time 1am

(I quit 4 weeks later! Dumb bastards!)

Abandoned

Awwww, that'st too bad. (((((((virgochick))))))) But at least now you'll have an excuse for why you can't kill that thread.....

SPAZnik

I recently got one of those simulated sunlight lamps. It's quite good for shift workers and others needing to adjust their "clock". The lamp I got has a simulated sunrise and also sunset option...like a dimmer switch thingy.

Noise vibrations and lighting are probably two of the biggest factors.
Turn off or unplug your phone, rather than expecting others to know your schedule.
Get a dark blind (or set up something dark).
Also avoid caffeine after noon. Don't consume carbs within three hours of bedtime (sugar spikes and crashes interrupt/interfere with sleep cycle) stick with small amount of protein or vegies. (Unless you find protein wakes you up, which can happen due to some chemical it releases in your brain - I forget the name of, sorry).

Anyway, after six or seven years of shiftwork, and lots of reading up on this and that...those are the main factors I've found affect my sleep patterns.
General rules of thumb (which are just way more fun to break than follow haha)
Anyway, try 'em and see what you're like.

SPAZnik

Oh, and if it were me. I'd negotiate a week of transition flexibility if I felt I needed it. Change management baby.

Crumpet

Over here that would be a serious infringement and breach of contract and I would say go to hell, however I'm guessing you already have signed something saying they can make such changes. As it seems you are working unsociable hours though - ie outside of 9 to 5 then maybe you qualify for an improvement in pay.

As others have said - your body clock will adjust within a couple of weeks. Good luck!

lisavegas420

I loved working the 6-3 shift. It was dark going to work in the morning part of the year...but I had all afternoon and evening to do what I wanted...I could even go home and take a nap before going out for a night of partying.

lisa

penny2

I start work at 8.00am. I thought that was bad enough!

They changed my work hours, drastically!

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