I am currently working my last night shift. I will start my new job within the same company in two weeks and after twelve years as a three shift worker, so it should be nice, if not fantastic. So why do I share this? I'm just happy.

I know how people cope with night shift work can vary. For me it was tough after 5-6 years and then move very quickly to unbearable.

Do you work night shift? How many years have you done it? How's it going? Do you have plans to stop doing it?

Sorry about my grammar.

I used to work nightshift when I was younger(18-21). I loved it. No issues with working it, it honestly fit my schedule perfectly. When scientists say that people aren't meant to be up at all hours of the night I personally call BS, because I always functioned much better at night then I did during the day. I generally worked 10 hour shifts, but at a few jobs I did pull 12 hours, and at one job there were a few occasions where we ended up working 16 hour shifts in order to get a job done that had to be done before we left.

I worked nights once. I mean one night. That was enough to convince me that it really wasn't my thing, and I stopped doing it the following day. Our ops staff regularly worked nights since they were all on rotation and our computer centre did 24/7 support, whether or not anyone needed it (I think this was commonplace in mainframe shops way back) but I really didn't envy them. Good bunch, though. I have a bit of a warm fuzzy feeling remembering those days.

I worked night shift at Wal-Mart for a couple of years and actually liked it. The store's mostly empty so it's a lot easier to get [censored] done.

I work night shifts almost exclusively. Worked a ton of closing shifts (until 5AM) at Taco Bell over the summer. Now I generally work the shifts between 11PM and 7AM at the front desk at my dorm. I'm a complete night owl, so it works great for me. Only bad part is that I still have to wake up early for classes most days.

I had no problem in them early years either, but it may have something to do with the fact I was 18-21 as well. It became more difficult over the years and even harder when you get a partner.

Most of the jobs I have worked were night shifts.

I'm more of a morning person myself so working nights is tough on me.

I worked the 3-11pm shift at my current job for about 13 years. Hated it the entire time, but the requirement to pay my bills kept me there...and they had no real policy on the use of illicit chemicals, which at the time was just fine with me. My addictions fed my hatred of the evening shift, and the hours I worked fed my addictions. It was a vicious cycle that ended about 6 years ago now.

A little over three years ago, I was approached by my shift supervisor about switching (permanently) to the day shift, which is what I wanted all along. Well, I jumped at the opportunity, while trying to contain my enthusiasm for leaving those infernal hours behind. It's amazing how much you miss out on when you work oddball hours. All your friends and family are out at the store, home watching TV, or at the movies etc. and yet you are stuck at work, and you get to experience non e of it with them. Good riddance to it, I say.

Barrettsfloyd.

I will work two shifts, morning and evening, but it's 6-14 and 12-20, so no late nights and I wont have to adapt to much.

Ohh and Fridays are six-hour days (6-12, 12-18)

This, only replace "years" with "months". I kinda regret leaving, but that's a mistake I've learned from. I was mostly in the storage area, so it was varied and sometimes even adventurous work ("Oh wow, I get to go pull a vacuum from the top rack while standing on a shaky ladder!"), unlike stocking.

On the same day, or am I still missing something? That sounds like split shift to me. Fortunately I never had to deal with them, it sounds worse than what I had to deal with though.

Six hour Fridays sounds great though.

Haha, that would have svcked. Every two weeks, of course.

yes i do ive done it for months, and i just got use to it, i leave in an hour and a half for work
and usually dont get back tell 7 or 8...my job is awesome tho

I work 1130-1030 with saturday sunday monday off. It works for me

lucky i have one day off lol and its sunday

My first full-time job was as the overnight cashier at a 24-hour grocery store. 10pm to 6am. At first it was kind of cool. We'd get a lot of regulars in that I got to know pretty well, and apart from the rush we'd have early on in my shift and then between 2 and 3 when the bars let out, it was a pretty cushy job. Lots of down time - and as I can't stand just sitting around doing nothing, I was able to help out the stockers most of the night too.

Eventually I moved to a full-time stocking position, and over time ended up as the Night Crew Leader for a couple of stores. Partly it's because that's just a really lowsy job that's pretty much guaranteed to be too much responsibility for the pay grade; and I was always expected to accomplish much more than I had the manpower to realistically make do with.

But after half a dozen years working those hours, it does begin to takes it's toll. After I left that job, I swore I'd never work a shift like that again.
Yeah, when I was younger, it wasn't any big deal to be up all night long, and then either sleep until 2 in the afternoon, or even stay up until lunchtime and then sleep in the afternoon. (I preferred staying up after work - I've always preferred being able to wake up and go to work, and then have the rest of the "day" open after I got out.) Over time it did really begin to wear me down, though.

For me - a lot of it was just how much it complicated things. Banks hours always seemed to exactly match my sleep schedule, and most stores weren't open at the times when I actually felt like going out for the day. And especially when I started dating my wife - it wasn't easy getting our schedules to synch up so that we could actually spend time together.

Plus, I remember having a lot of trouble getting friends and family to understand why I wasn't always available at the times they wanted. The absolute worst for me were the times I got talked into going on camping trips. When it gets dark out and everyone is going to sleep at the time you're usually waking up - it can get kind of boring...

I work opening at my job. I have to be there at 4:15 and usually get off around 12:00, sometimes earlier.

Sounds like the best option.

Yes. 8 out of the 12 years I've worked at my job. No I have no plans, and it's always been an advantage for me. Now the transition from day shift to night shift that first week was hard. My sleep pattern was gone, and I had insomnia for 9 days.

It's all smooth now.

on night rotations for this job, only 6 months and I hate how it mess up my clock already.

I called in sick more than ever and it's so tiresome I grew grumpy about everything.

I've always been more lively at night than during the day. I can get into a normal, day:work, night:sleep circadian rhythm, but I much prefer being awake at night. And it's so quiet and peaceful at 3.00 in the morning, too.


It depends on the person, really. Those of us who are comfortable being up all night probably had ancestors who had night watch.

I used to work until 22:00 for 5 years, and now I usually work until 00:00. But once a week I have to do a proper night shift ending at 06:00. I don't mind the work, especially because in the evening and at night I basically get the office to myself. But my job means my shifts are always changing and the day following a night shift is usually rough. Sometimes I'll finish work at 06:00 and have to be back at work at 15:00. It makes it seem like a very long day at work with a nap in between, rather than two separate days at work, if that makes sense.
The only thing is, I've worked late shifts for so long I don't know how I'd handle the mornings if I got a regular 9-5.

Worked nightshift for about 3 years.
Meant I spent 1 week as a zombie and had the other week off. Also didn't see much of my kids for those 3 years every 2nd week.
Ok for single people but not good if you have a family.

I pulled graveshift for 3 years, it was the best job I ever had. I got paid well, the work kept me in shape, and the people were awesome. The only problem was I woke up feeling like I was 80yr old and my relationship was being pulled thin.

It's finally over. I've slept on it, going through it in my head and realised I will spend my nights sleeping (playing games, read, "internetting") like one should and it feels great.

To those who are unemployed and just think I'm whining, let me just say that if it were not for the ability to change jobs, I would have soon been unemployed too. It has come to a point where I feel physically ill at least one day every night-week, and it needed to end.

Of course it is not preferable to be unemployed and many are forced to work bad shifts. To you, I can only wish the best for the future.

Soon I'll have my own desk and computer. Can hardly contain myself.