3rd Shift Work, Slow Death:

[Sandisue]

Hey All,

I changed jobs 8 mths. ago from a Supervisor Position to a Position with less stress.  In order to do this I had to take a 3rd shift position.. This was well before I found out about Sjogrens. I work for the City so I'm trying to apply for different jobs that I'm qualified for that are days. In the mean time I never knew how hard it would be trying to sleep during the day, maintain a loving relationship and live a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes I feel like I'm not even living, just co-existing...Stinks...I really don't know how people do it...Maybe I'll find a better day position soon...I'm so tired all the time now. I'm doing all the tricks, dark room, ambien and a fan..Still can't sleep more than 4 hrs at a time..So on my day off, I find myself sleeping for the whole day.. Like I said Stinks....

Less Stress is Good...
Normal Life is Better...I miss normal...

Hugs,
Sandisue

[irish]

The 3rd shift is hard on people. There are some people whose circadian rhythms allow them to work the night shift and be able to sleep at odd hours and still maintain a semblance of normal. However, for most of us that shift is extremeful stressful. It is not always the hard work that does us in, but the stress put on our bodies trying to adjust to living in a world that is the opposite of normal.

BAck in the early 70's I went to a GP who I think knew that I had something autoimmune going on but didn't know what. He told me never to work the night shift as it was too hard on me. He was right. I tried several times but it sure screwed me up and wore me out. Hope you can find another job with the hours that work best for you. Irish

[Dolly Dimples]

  Hi Sandisue, 
              You have found that you will not cope well if you keep this up,

              My daughter worked through the night in a supermarket, she had every ailment going,

                 She hasen't got SS (yet) but suffers multiple allergies, and this job absolutely drained her.

                  Nature intended that we sleep at night, so thats the way we should be,
                              but modern day society has taken natural life from us, and  then this is the results
                                 hope you can work something better out., which won't be as hard on your life and complaints.
                                                Dolly

[Bucky]

Sandisue,

I can only imagine how hard it is for you to work 3rd shift.  There are many times where I just can't sleep in the wee morning hours and would always think that I should work a 3rd shift job as I'm awake anyhow.  On the nights that I can't sleep it messes my whole day up as I'm so sleepy during the "daylight" hours.

I am a person who has to sleep with a fan on - although, there are times when even that doesn't help me to sleep.  For me, it's trying to turn off my "brain" from thinking about all the things I should or need to be doing.  When I know I need to get some sleep that seems to be when I toss and turn, toss and turn all night - very frustrating.     For the most part, I would say the "average" sleep I get in one night is five hours.  There are days when I can sneak in an hour nap at some point and it sure feels good!     Are you a "nap" person?  They can really help - even if it's only a short one.

I've just started a new job which has me working different hours - daytime hours and evening/weekend hours . . . I've noticed my "sleeping" is all messed up too.  On my days off all I want to do is sleep the whole day but I have grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, etc. to get caught up on.  On work nights by the time I get home in the evening my family is getting ready to go to bed.  It ends up being a "hi" and "bye" situation and trying to get caught up on what's going on with them at school and work.  (I just went from a stay-at-home mom for the past two years, and now having to return to work again.)

There are many days when I feel like my family and I are two ships passing in the night. 

I hope you are able to transfer to a different "daytime" job with less stress that will be a perfect match for you. 

Best wishes,
Bucky

[Carolina]

Third Shift Work, eeeeek.

Most people were meant to sleep at night.

Very very very few do well staying awake then.

The worst possible thing is rotating shift work, the only thing worse than Third Shift.

Can you get your old more stressful, but day time job back?

I re-read and you're doing what you can to get back to days.

Life won't be reasonable until you do, I rather think.

Keep us posted.

Kisses

Elaine

[Patze]

Oh my Sandisue, third shift?  Wow, I don't know how you're doing it.

I work during the day, and I so know what you mean about feeling like you're just existing.  I sure wish I could click my heels together three times and make a day job appear for you.

Until I can find those darn red shoes, I'm sending you some giant soft

( ( ( ( ( H U G S ) ) ) ) )

my friend.

Take care of yourself, okay?

Patze

[irish]

One of the things that is really harda on people who work the third shift is their diet. So many people start eating just really bad---tooo much fat and not enough fruits and vegies.

I know a lot of people working that shift start drinking an enormous amount of pop with caffiene just to make it through the shift. Then they go home and are so wired that they can't sleep. Irisih