I hate people who forget that you are working night shift.

[seminolewind]

I know exactly what you mean. I've worked 7p-7a for years. People just don't get it. Even my manager doesn't get it. She had her staff meeting at 7am in the morning-if I was off, there was no way I would be able to make it since I can't fall asleep till early a.m. The noise, the UPS guy, the neighbor knocking, Mom calling, sheesh.

If I was on call while sleeping, I would invest in a cheap cell phone, pay for minutes. That number would be for the person who calls you in. Then turn off the other phone. My dad pays $10 a month for his cheapy phone. Well worth it.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

There were times when I used to work nights that I had to call in sick because I got no sleep at all (because of noise).

Basketballs bouncing, etc.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Ahhh Sleep deprivation...I knew it well! I used to start work at 4am and work through till 1am or sometimes later! The worst were the late night parties with the music hooked up to the trunk full of head pounding speakers

No, actually, the worst was 4th July and New Years Eve...bottle rockets set off right outside my apartment..oops not loud enough! so then they set them off out of a metal barrell until 2am! My new neighborhood is soooo nice and quiet! But now I dont have to work anymore

 

[Oddyse]

WOW, I dont believe it! People who love ducks and who work night shifts! I belong here!

. I work 7 12 hour night shifts every 4 weeks , my dad came over yesterday and shouted up the stairs at 10 ( I get home at 7) " Are you awake?" I though, if I stay quite he will go away, then "Helloooo, are you awake?" I shouted down the stairs "Yeah I am NOW! , been working nights all week, let me sleep!" Ruined my sleep for the day! Then my girlfriend calls me! By now im so frustrated I cant sleep! Luckily for me I ride a motorbike so driving home , visor full open keeps me awake. But I can completely understand what you guys mean! Some people will never get it however hard you explain to them! I get 5 days off after nights and people always say wow, five days off! I say no, its 5 days of hell trying to get my system back to normal again SO LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

 

[dela1991]

The worst was when I was working nights (6pm to 4am, eight days straight) and the person who is covering for me during the day calls my house at 8:30am to ask me a question about the job. She said that she didn't know what my sleep schedule is so she took a chance that I would be awake. My husband, who is retired, got to the phone pretty fast and I could hear him say "No, I am not going to wake her up". Night shift sucks but luckily I only work it for 8 days every 2 months. I too have a hard time sleeping and then recovering once it is all over.

 

[mommas_got_peeps]

Ahhh.. I hate that... as a fellow nightshifter for 22 years.. I think that is what ages us faster than everyone else.. interrupted sleep

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
Me in jammies, hair out to *there*... bloodshot eyes glinting with malice... holding a shotgun (okay it'd really be a pizzelle iron but the gun's a better mental) being the first thing seen when the door is opened would likely make their sales pitch get stuck in their throat...

 

[hisdaughter]

I use these great spongy ear plugs. I squish the ends, jam them in my ears and I don't hear much! The only down side would be, if there was a home invasion, I wouldn't hear them coming. I used to try Benadryl of Tylenol PM but them I woke up groggy. Hope things start to go better for you and that you can get more sleep. Either that or switch shifts.

 

[Dar]

I have a call blocker for my blackberry and I know you can get it for Iphones and android phones too.. I set the times that I dont want to be disturbed and it will automatically bump it right to my voice mail.. and you can exclude numbers that will get blocked.. so when I am on nights I will exclude my kids school numbers but they are the only ones that can get through..

its called call blocker professional and it was a free app for my BB

 

[Laurajean]

I can relate. I don't work the night shift, but I am a massive night owl, always have been. I go to sleep very late and also sleep late. It's just how my body clock works, been that way for 30+ years. My relatives will insist on calling me early in the morning, and I have told them numerous times through the years that I'm not up at that hour. One time I called my aunt at 8:30 at night and she got mad because she was asleep. I didn't think she would be asleep that early, but I also felt like saying "Well now you know how I feel when you call me at 8:00am!"