Laying here trying to go back to sleep, have to teach a class from 08:30-15:00ish, then work my regular shift from 19:00-05:00, and training a new guy to boot. Plus I’m on call until Monday.

Last week...worked my regular Sunday night shift, then Monday-started my day at 14:00 for a meeting, worked all night, taught all Tuesday, then got called in all night. Actually slept 8 hours IN A ROW Wednesday, then worked all night and had to start again at 13:00 for another afternoon plus working all night for Thursday and Friday. 77 hour week.

Weekend rolls around and I was legit completely off Sat/Sun nights...but my sleep pattern was completely screwed. Woke up Sunday at 15:00 and never fell back to sleep. Taught in the morning (Monday) then range time in the evening for re-quals, watched a movie with my son and fell asleep at around 22:00.

Woke up two hours later.

Still awake.

Damnit. Im getting too old for this shit.

One month 12 hour days. Panama schedule

One month 12 hour nights. Panama schedule

One week normal 8 hour days.

Repeat.

Guess what happens just when you get used to working night shift!

That rotating shift stuff is nuts. What kills me is the extra crap that I do entirely to myself.

My usual schedule? Pretty sweet (10 hours):
4 on
4 off
3 on
3 off
Repeat

This is completely self-induced, but for the inability to actually SLEEP (or stay asleep) when I’m off. And I can’t take anything to help this week because I’m on call and it makes me feel hung over.

Right now it’s either no sleep until around 06:30 tomorrow, or maybe cut out early this afternoon for a nap between noon-5. But that’s assuming I can actually SLEEP

I’ll sleep good Wednesday. I’ve got somebody covering for me so I can have a beer and some melatonin and crash hour for a solid 8 hours hopefully.

But I’m to the point I’m gonna have to get off permanent nights the next opportunity I have.

It gets old for sure. Navy so pretty good as a whole about respecting time off.

As much as I get run down and sleep schedule is never right I am not sure I will trade it for the 5 day a week 6-3 schedule.

Typically we do one year of 12’s and get relieved by the FNG and yo to the easy schedule but I’ll probably push through a second year until I leave here. I like the extra days off

That’s usually how it works here...old timer retires or someone gets a new position, FNG comes in and you switch to an afternoon shift or day shift.

Except I volunteered to stay. The kids on nights had 16 bosses in 5 years. It was a mess...I was (and still am) having fun and wanted to give them some stability. That’s no exaggeration...16 supervisors had rotated through that quick. It’s a beast of a division. I think I hold the record, December will be 2 years.

Next guaranteed chance to go to second shift is June I believe.

Rotating shifts contributed greatly to one of my divorces. Fortunately, we managed to get shift preference by seniority in our labor contract that put a stop to rotating shifts.
Citizen complaints against officer were greatly reduced when we dumped rotating shifts too.

We’re not too different then.

I volunteered for a year stretch before coming here so I’m doing second year now and likely will volunteer for 3rd year next March.

The schedule does suck for the marriage. Especially nights. But my wife works with me and the amount of political bullshit I get to avoid being on nights routinely and shift work in general is a HUGE plus.

Thu/Fri-4p t0 12a

Sat 8a-4p

Sun/Mon 12a-8a

Any incidents, stay until it is resolved.

It's called "relief" schedule for Bureau of Prisons supervisors.

Rotating shifts have consistently proven to be extremely detrimental to morale, decision-making, citizen complaints, use of force, officer health, and a whole slew of other factors.

I have no idea why agencies continue to force that on their officers in the face of such overwhelming evidence. It's an absolutely terrible idea, even in less-intensive and less-stressful occupations, and doubly so for law enforcement.

I did 7pm-7am, then rotated to 7am-7pm every 2 months. I did that for quite a while. Night or graveyard was the worst. I had to really work to sleep in the daytime. And some ass hole would ring the door bell. Waking me up and screwing up my sleep and I wanted to punch the wall. It was terrible.

I don't mind working late, doing maintenance windows, but graveyard consistently I hate. And then rotating every few months to day, brutal.

Sorry brother, those hours suck!

Been there/done that with the side jobs. THATS the stuff that really messes you up.

But the money is hopefully worth it somewhere down the line.

I did a 12 + hour night shift for 17 years. For the most part it was hell just working that schedule consistently, but mixed in at various times were transfers to days or, in a few cases of meetings, a hybrid night/ day shift...my father worked a rotating swing shift for years and it was hard on him, so I feel for you guys working rotating swing night shifts.

About 15 years ago the World Health Organization declared night shift working a carcinogen. I accepted their explanation at the time, but given their track record for the pandemic I'm not sure I trust their declarations any longer.

Chongo, or for any of our other law enforcement types, for the next time you can't sleep...

https://www.bitchute.com/video/KAZlGvKceg6n/

I could never work a rotating shift, I'd never sleep. I work 10PM to 8AM, and I hate it, but at least it is consistent.

When I was in the military, we worked what they called a 2-2-2-80 shift for about a year. We went in for two day shifts in a row. We had eight hours off after the second day shift and came back at midnight for two mid shifts. After the second mid shift, we came back after eight hours and worked two evening shifts. Then we had eighty hours off. We were essential, so no holidays off.

It was in California and we didn't have air conditioning, just a fan for the 100+ degree days. I never got into a routine or used to it.

in retail, my hours are not 'normal' but not horrible either,

currently I am 8-5 or 10-7 or 12-830,
depending on the day and only 5 days a week,

and maybe 25hrs a week on top of that working form myself,



used to do 60+ a week in grocery store management, but no longer,

still basically work teh same hours, but much more relaxed setting,



I have a friend that get a yearly schedule, but works odd shifts,

usually 4 on, say midnight to 8, the 2 off, then several on at 7a -4, the a few off, and 4 to midnight,

looking at his schedule it seems completely random but works out to a 40 hr week avg with a couple weekends off a month

and yes, he hates it

I worked for Norfolk Southern Railway for almost 40 years with shift hours changing almost weekly...I understand your frustration...hang in there...one day it will be better.

First paramedic job was 36 on-36 off, then went to 48 on-48 off. Next was 24 on-48 off, 24 on-72 off and 48 on-96 off when I retired....

I much prefer 24-72 schedule.

quote:

Originally posted by medic15al:
First paramedic job was 36 on-36 off, then went to 48 on-48 off. Next was 24 on-48 off, 24 on-72 off and 48 on-96 off when I retired....

I much prefer 24-72 schedule.

Worked last night and had to go pick up my daughter 1.5 hours away this morning when I got off. My son decided he wanted to get up at 0530 to go with me.

We were meeting at a gas station and I saw an ambulance pull in. Saw a paramedic I used to work with and commented to my son that as much as my schedule sucks sometimes, it’s better than working 24 hour shifts as a paramedic. Or 36, 48, or 72 (the longest I ever did) hour shifts.

Perspective certainly makes a difference.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Perspective certainly makes a difference.

I struggle keeping calm when I hear younger sailors complaining about working 3 straight 12 hour shifts.

Prior to joining the Navy I worked for a decade as a mechanical engineer. We worked 12 hour shifts until the job was done.

For 10 years straight I never worked less than 4000 hours a year. Longest stretch ever was 39 straight 12 hour days. hearing them bitch about 3-12's really tests my ability to just ignore them as I'm sure I was that unaware at one point in my life also.

Bottom line is you're absolutely right.