I work for an agency and sometimes they ask me to do one off night trunks.
Because I’m not on nights all week I really struggle with tiredness by the time 4am comes around.
I’ve done full time night trunking before which is fine because you sleep in the day but how to cope with adhoc nights?
Any advice?
The body clock will always win.You have no control over it if/when it shuts down.
Trying to combine or alternate night with day is a liability and a game of Russian Roulette when driving anything.
Night work or day work is an either or choice not pick and mix.
Don’t do them if its putting your life at risk .
Learn to say no .
I don’t mind early starts or late finishes but I hate night shifts . I turn them down and try to avoid them as much as possible but I sometimes have to do a couple of weeks of them to cover other drivers holidays - we have 2 drivers on a permanent night shift contract that you have to attend a driving course to be allowed to do the work , there are only 4 of us trained for the work 2 drivers on it permanently and another 2 to cover holidays and sick leave .Trying to get into a routine is the key for me shifting the body clock 12 hours isn’t easy and its Ok for a week but on a one off I’d be asking for time off to try and reset the body clock . Obviously if its agency work thats not always an option .
No easy way round it really if they’re one offs. Just treat it as a late night to bed and make sure you’ve enough rest before and after it I’d say.
Nights are tough even though I am used to them. I have no idea how people start work at 9 or 10 in the evening and finish 1 or 2 in the afternoon.
That used to kill me even when I was in my 20s
Driver101:
I’ve done full time night trunking before which is fine because you sleep in the day but how to cope with adhoc nights?Any advice?
You never get used to it. You either need to be on nights all that week or maintain a night worker sleep pattern all that week or be on days. You can’t flick between the two in the same week. When I was young and stupid I used to do Mon Tue on days then Thu, Fri on nights but felt like crap 7 days a week. I’ve long since stopped it.
I’ve been retired 8 years having worked permanent nights 15 years before that.My body clock is still screwed up now but it doesn’t bother me.All family and acquaintancies know not to knock on my door before noon;on the other hand if anyone wants picking up from from a club or airport at 0300 they know who to call.Similarly on my trips to Spain and back I drive most of the way overnight.
but how to cope with adhoc nights?
Say NO!
As others have said do not flick between days and nights in the same week, try and see if you can get a few nights in a row to adjust the body clock or if you do end up doing an adhoc make sure to have a decent day or 2 off either side. It’s not safe to do a night then a day 36 hours later then a night 36 hours later etc. Your body will punish you and put you and others at risk
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