In the next couple of weeks I will be changing my job (although staying with the same firm 
unusual for me I know)
I will be going from locals to night changeovers
This will mean starting at about 10 or 11pm, running a trailer up to possibly Bristol or Gloucestershire, drop and swap and running back. It may involve tipping loads on the way up or back or both. Getting back at about lunchtime.
As the title says, what are the proâs and conâs of night work
Pro - less traffic and numpyies later at night
Con - buggered up sleep patterns in order to keep the missus happy at weekends
Against
For.
Depends.
there is a lot of research that shows night workers suffer more ill health, heart problems and die youger 
My dad used to tell me ânights are for burglars and policemenâ
i did nights for a while and didnt like it.you feel crap the next day and its hard on yer eyes drivin in the dark(redlight helps),the worst thing for me was watchin people comin outa pubs and niteclubs â â â â â â ,oh yeah and yer far more likely to meet a drink driver.ever noticed all the real bad smashes happen in the darkâŚreads like im scared of the dark huhâŚ
pros: less traffic, probably get paid more
cons: you should be sleeping or in the pub, you cant see whoâs on the motorway bridges dropping things, its hard on your eyes, you wont be able to sleep during the day, you will feel tired all weekend when you should be doing things with your family etc
I have worked permanent nights for the last 10 years,before that did a week of days then a week of nights. The job is definitley easier on nights. Iam able to please myself when I start,normally around 7 trunk down to Medway from East Midlands trailer change in our depot or pick up a trailer from Dartford or Purfleet then home no more than 9 hours but paid for 12 get in bed about 4.30 up about 11.30 gives me plenty of time to myself to do the garden go out cycling or just do general jobs a switch to days would lose me about ÂŁ5000
I have been working nights since about April this year.
From my experience I am getting more money for less hours at work.
Less traffic on the roads. Although saying that watch out for the suicide run on A roads starting at about 5am, where blind bends and double white lines means nothing to the car driver that must get past you at all costs!!! 
As for the sleep pattern it is hard to adjust to at first but I have found it not too bad.
Also as for the so called medical that night drivers are entitled to if your company is anything like Royal Mail all you will have to do is a simple questionnaire.
My advice to you is to have a word with your boss and see if you can trial the night job for a couple of months to see if you like it. After all in my experience night shift is not for everyone.
Good luck with your decision.
Working nights is not ânormalâ but there are people of all ages who can adapt to it. If you can adapt without feeling like a zombie then great - if not GIVE IT UP and go back to days. As others have said before on here - your health and your family come first.
When sleeping in daytime, try to black-out the room and reduce the noise as much as poss. Dr Hilary Jones on GMTV was talking about this very problem on Thursday this week and I have forwarded his advice.
Simon:
Depends.
- There is something about night workers having to have medicals quite frequently, at the gaffers expense. However, you can be sure these will take place during the day, during the week, when you should be sleeping.
There is something about night workers in general!!! 
'ard hat on 
ROG:
Working nights is not ânormalâ but there are people of all ages who can adapt to it. If you can adapt without feeling like a zombie then great - if not GIVE IT UP and go back to days.
I for 1 am unable to adapt to working nights under any circumstances, i`ve tried it for 2 yrs I find that after about 6hrs I start to loose concentration, and from then on it starts going down hill. After around the 3rd or 4th day i become grumpy/snappy at the slightest thing. my sleep patterns become erratic, and i end up spending the whole weekend recovering.
So now as an agency driver, I will not work nights, start times for me are no earlier than 4am, which tbh means i can loose out on possible bookings and extra income.
ROG:
When sleeping in daytime, try to black-out the room and reduce the noise as much as poss. Dr Hilary Jones on GMTV was talking about this very problem on Thursday this week and I have forwarded his advice.
after 2 years working nights in a factory enviroment, i found that even having the room totally blacked out helped slightly, but even the smallest amount of light in the room would spoil my sleep, and having to resort to using earplugs to dampen out the slightest noise so i could sleep became a bit too much.
if you live in a busy household, have a young family or live on a busy street forget working nights.
These are factors that can disturb your sleep patterns. Even the smallest of thing like the binmen on the street can wake you. Remember the world around you works and moves during the day, and wont tip toe past your bedroom window even if you put a massive sign up saying "Shhhhhhhhh Im on nights"
I do the odd week of nights as holiday cover, Sunday to Thursday. Nice easy job for me as it involves running empty to either Radstock or Blandford, load up and back; working weekâs finished at 6am Friday and Iâm then guaranteed a long weekend 'cos Iâm back on days the following week.
I find that itâs pointless going to bed Sunday afternoon before the first shift; once Iâm in bed Monday morning I sleep well and that sets me up for the week.
The shift pattern I used to hate when I was in a warehouse was the rotating 3-shift type. Two months of that and you literally donât know what day it is! 
i wouldnât mind it i donât think, the trouble is sleeping in day, theres a dog across the street from me neglected and barks all day, iâve complained to no avail but itâs a serious problem to me.
I did nights for 10 years and enjoyed it âŚafter I had adapted to the sleeping arrangments.
i bought âblack outâ blinds for the bedroom which were fine in the winter but not so good in the summer.
School holidays were the worst, with kids out playing etc
Social life for me was almost non-existent, falling asleep in the pub on a Saturday night was a regular occurence, and as for â â â ⌠you will need to make an appointment with your wife 
I agree that driving at nights is easier than days providing you can stay awake, one fatality and three very serious accidents at my company over about 14 years.
Back on days now and although wages dropped by about ÂŁ140 per week I wouldnât go back to nights, but if you can hack it, good luck 'cos there are plenty good lads out there on nights.
All of the above hits the nail on the head.
I work lates, start between 1pm and 5pm, always seem to get the later starts at 4 -5pm. I donât like it much but hate the day time traffic more.
The main proplem is adjusting back to day light waking on your time off.
Iâve done nights for 3 years. Easy job, trunking, paid 48 hours and rarely do more than 43 in an actual week.
If you can cope with the sleeping itâs not too bad - I never fell asleep in ther pub, I was waking up when everyone else was getting tired It does bugger up your social life though; depends on how much you want to see of your family
Best advice is try it and if it works for you go with it. If it doesnât work donât push it - you could make yourelf ill or worse still fall asleep at the wheel
I agree with all of the above but im surprised nobody has mentioned â â â life. To cut it short, you wont have one. If your going work while the kids are still awake or even shortly after they go asleep your never going to have â â â again.
Even at weekends youâll be too knackered to bother. I did nights for two years and this was the main reason for going back to days. Seriously mate, working nights will affect all parts of your life and all for a ÂŁ or so more an hour, it aint worth it!!!
your sexlife will be ok, only so long as she works nights too. youll just basically turn days into nights and vice versa. Though the neighbours will start giving you funny looks, hearing you going at it like 2 demented bunnies, because your disturbing em while theyre sat watching richard and judy
peirre:
Though the neighbours will start giving you funny looks, hearing you going at it like 2 demented bunnies, because your disturbing em while they`re sat watching richard and judy
The fact people watch Richard and Judy is disturbing enough on its own. 
To work nights you have to make it work .
I,ve done it for about 6 years now and get on fine with it .
See the missus and son in the morning , go to sleep , get up at 3 and go to get him out of school , spend about 4 hours a day with him before I have to go to work , see the missus for about an hour .(finishes work)
At the weekend I only slightly adjust my sleep pattern , rather than be up at the crack of dawn I have a lie in to about 11-12 o clock , the missus is doing her horsey thing anyway and the lad is there helping .
The weekend carries on as normal .
Miss nothing at all and no problems with a â â â life .
No traffic , extra money and no hassles .
You have to make it work and have a missus that will help you make it work .
Some lads canât do it , some lads have women that moan at them for nights and end up coming off them .
It works for me and I miss nothing .
If I was to back on days I wouldnât be driving âŚI came off the road for a year a while back because I got sick to death of driving in the day , too many idiots about trying to kill each other and everyone around them.
I just walked into the office put my keys on the counter and told the boss not to expect to see me ever again , Iâm finished .
I only went back on the road when I decided to have a crack at driving nights .