Worst part is it doesn’t just apply to night drivers but those who start work or finish in the small hours, pretty much most truck drivers.
I was watching a programme on BBC2 last night which was also researching the amount of sleep as well. Basically if you’re not getting at least 7.5hrs you’re doing damage to yourself no matter how awake you feel. Even 6.5hrs resulted in quite significant issues. The research should be used to put an end to the reduced daily rest. 9hrs is not enough time to have two meals, do personal admin (wash, shower etc) and get 8hrs kip.
ANY work throws some bodies into chaos, benefits street springs to mind…
But, I’ve worked nights for the last 12 years and love it, and my body is not in chaos…
another load of ball hooks spouted by people who should get themselves a proper job.
ANY work throws some bodies into chaos, benefits street springs to mind…
But, I’ve worked nights for the last 12 years and love it, and my body is not in chaos…
another load of ball hooks spouted by people who should get themselves a proper job.
I tried working permanent nights many years ago on trunking work and just couldn’t get used to it. I stuck at it for nearly two years but I could never sleep during the day and constantly felt tired and like crap so I went back to nights out where I always get plenty of sleep
Also diesel fumes and general road pollution increase your risk of a heart attack. As does sitting down for prolonged periods regardless of how much exercise you do. Time to ask the boss for danger money
Apparently, the human body has from an early age, been trained to sleep at night ( remember when our mums would put us to bed when we were wide awake, then wake us up when we were fast asleep ) anyway, some of us can cope better than others, and i certainly cant cope with the odd hours of work. I have done many different shifts, driving when i should be sleeping, and you know the score when approaching the services, and feel like you have just got up and showered, only to find, once you have sailed past, you cant stop yawning, and vow to stop at the next opportunity, whilst driving merrily along and closing your eyes momentarily, every few hundred yards.
I think we can adapt if we plan for it, its no good getting up at 0700 if your start time is 17.30, which is quite often what happens, until you and your body adapts, but when your waiting for the phone to ring, and then it gets to the afternoon, and then at 1600 it rings, and theres a bod on the other end, whos just about ready to go home, tells you to come in at 1700, for a night trunk to Timbucktoo, and should be back in the yard by 0700…thats when i tell them to FRO.
What really does it is when you sleep all day for a night shift & the shift gets cancelled & the missis is on & has the hump & all you want is out of the house !!!
John.c.1474:
What really does it is when you sleep all day for a night shift & the shift gets cancelled & the missis is on & has the hump & all you want is out of the house !!!
I thought the average driver’s missus was a bit past “being on”… We ain’t all got tatooed dollybirds on our arms that are easily impressed by our huge 44ft endowments.
First night on shift=knackered, first day off=knackered, second day off getting better but not quite normal but it’s time to go back to work again! Did nights for too many years not interested now and wouldn’t repeat the experience.
Working class people can’t earn high incomes working 9 to 5 x 5 days a week (never have never will, unless state subsidised)…so they have to work longer or harder or dirtier or more unsocial hours or more of them to make a good living.
It takes a study (of a whole 22 people) to come to the conclusion that hard work does kill you, you’d never guess that unless an expert told you.
