12-Hour Rotating Shifts

[FK86]

Does anyone here work rotating 12-hour shifts? I have just accepted a job with incredible pay and career opportunities in the nuclear industry and this is a requirement of the position. I’ve never had to do this before as my whole life I’ve worked jobs that are only 8-hour shifts. Even though I’ve done days, afternoons, and nights for extended periods of time at a previous job, I’ve never had to rotate where nights and days are in the same week.

If you look up rotating shifts online there is nothing but negative comments and always references to studies about how bad it is for your health. I don’t doubt that it’s not ideal in comparison to a straight 9-5 type job, but I question possible variables involved. One being that some industries that typically use the rotating schedule often employ people that have bad health habits before they even take on such a job. For example, I’ve worked in logistics/manufacturing before and my co-workers were overweight, fast-food eating, chain-smoking people. If a study was pulled from that group, it would obviously say "rotating shifts cause health problems" when the facts are skewed.

So, if anyone here does it, how do you manage? Most importantly with respect to getting sleep, staying asleep, and also staying awake and productive at work while also fitting in time to train and make progress in the gym. It’s going to be a big adjustment for me as I’m very regimented and like things set in stone, but I have to be realistic and prioritize surviving in an ever-inflating economy. I am not a professional bodybuilder and this hobby should be secondary. The schedule has me working 2 or 3 days in a row, followed by 2 or 3 days off. My lower/upper split can still be maintained at a decent frequency if I train on the days off. I just want to make sure I have the energy to do it.

I am respectfully requesting that comments only come from people who have actually done it or are still doing it. While I don't doubt that there are knowledgeable people on here that can give general sleep advice that would help everyone, this is one of those things where you have to have lived it. Also, with regard to sleep, I’m looking for non-chemically assisted ways and not the usual stuff like melatonin, valerian root, etc. Many people do it in many industries, so it can be done. I just want to optimize and hopefully avoid the difficulties associated with it.

 

[buck]

Define 12 hour rotating shift. I have seen various version of rotating shifts. I only have experience from switching from working graveyard during the week to a totally different schedule from friday morning to sunday night which i did for 13 years.

 

[FK86]

Define 12 hour rotating shift. I have seen various version of rotating shifts. I only have experience from switching from working graveyard during the week to a totally different schedule from friday morning to sunday night which i did for 13 years.

As I mentioned above, it’s 2 or 3 days working in a row, followed by 2 or 3 days off. Somewhat random, but a hypothetical example may look like this:

Sunday – Off
Monday – Off
Tuesday – 8am-8pm
Wednesday – 8am-8pm
Thursday – Off
Friday – Off
Saturday – 8pm-8am

Sunday – 8pm-8am
Monday – 8pm-8am
Tuesday – Off
Wednesday – Off
Thursday – 8am-8pm
Friday – 8am-8pm
Saturday – Off

So as you can see, the days and nights rotate after the off days. It doesn't follow a more structured block like Pitman or DuPont.

 

[Muay Thai]

my client is in biotech and was working 24 hour shifts then would have a day or two off in between every month for a year easily

 

[cage99]

Never did shift work, but work 12-16 hour days pretty regularly. It’s f’n tough bro at times; physically taxing. Makes workouts an afterthought at times personally. Especially in the summer months in the Deep South. Your biggest issue will be sleep. Might have to see a doctor at some point if you can’t adjust to the days/nights shifts to get Rx help.

Cage

 

[cage99]

I believe @bboy does night/day shift work.

Cage

 

[iwantmass]

I've been working rotating 12 hour shifts for 17+ years. The schedule I work is referred to as the dow dupont schedule. One of the major pros is that assuming I work no overtime, which is rare, I get 7 days off in a row every 4 weeks. Your sleep patterns can get erratic, but I don't and won't have children, so that helps a lot. I take advantage of doing things during hours when most people are working. In terms of gym time, I currently work 4am-4pm or 4pm-4am; so on days I work at 4am, I'm in the gym at 2:30 am and the opposite when I work 4pm. We are allowed to cook at work, so it typically doesn't affect my meals too badly.

 

[iwantmass]

I also know plenty or guys that set up a blackout room of sorts in their house. They sound proof it and have shades and such that make the room totally dark. I've never done this, but it is fairly popular

 

[Gizmo]

Been working rotating 12 hour shifts for 15 years. First my schedule was a modified DuPont which yeah you get a week off every 4 weeks, but you’re pretty much tired the entire other 3 weeks. At least I was. I work week on week off now which I like way more. The constant flopping on the modified DuPont wore me out. I can’t imagine constantly doing 3-2-2-3. It would destroy me. Unless they give you a cot at work.

 

[Gizmo]

I also know plenty or guys that set up a blackout room of sorts in their house. They sound proof it and have shades and such that make the room totally dark. I've never done this, but it is fairly popular

Black out curtains are a minimum.

 

[Sacario]

As I mentioned above, it’s 2 or 3 days working in a row, followed by 2 or 3 days off. Somewhat random, but a hypothetical example may look like this:

Sunday – Off
Monday – Off
Tuesday – 8am-8pm
Wednesday – 8am-8pm
Thursday – Off
Friday – Off
Saturday – 8pm-8am

Sunday – 8pm-8am
Monday – 8pm-8am
Tuesday – Off
Wednesday – Off
Thursday – 8am-8pm
Friday – 8am-8pm
Saturday – Off

So as you can see, the days and nights rotate after the off days. It doesn't follow a more structured block like Pitman or DuPont.

I did this shift for over a year when I was young. Going to be honest I personally never got used to it. I was miserable. With that said I still have friends doing it and they've been at it for almost 20 years.

 

[fisther69]

I’ve worked much worse shifts that that..but you get used to 12’s..most people eventually love them

 

[mlk2724]

We called this a modified Pitman Schedule. It is very difficult to have a normal life outside of work. I did it for 5 years. I would not do it again unless it was a straight 4 weeks 8a-8p followed by 4 weeks 8p-8a. we did full Pitman which was basically two weeks days two weeks nights. You never knew if you were coming or going

 

[Maelstrom]

It's not so much the 12 hr shifts which are damaging to health, it's the quick swings from days to nights to days, that is proven to be harmful to health. The 'safer' way of doing it is something like 1-3months of nights, then 1-3months of days.

I've done similar in the past (10hr shifts with quick swings between 0700-1700, 1400-2200, 2200-0700), would never do it again.

Getting your sleep routine right is the key to making it work. Blackout bedroom and white noise will be a big help. Helps not having young kids also, as that can really mess up you routine and sleep routine.

 

[juggy38]

Rotating 12s. ..it’s not the peoples fault they get unhealthy.

It’s terrible. It’s fucking terrible. The day prior and the day after a night “flip” are wasted trying to sleep or trying to stay up.

Circadian rhythms fucked constantly, hunger
Is absurd due to poor sleep.
Your neighbor building a porch that week? Prepare to sleep 20h that week.

I quit a job due it nightshift.

 

[Thor65]

I feel your answer will depend on your lifestyle. Do you have children or married? The working out bodybuilder lifestyle won’t be a problem but everything else can become hard, stressful. My wife works night shift 12’s. It’s not necessarily the time she is at work that is so difficult but the time she has to sleep during the day tbh. I feel your schedule is doable but the days you work it will feel like that’s all you do. A twelve hour shift in addition to travel time is obviously very time consuming.

 

[Ruhlfreak55]

We always stayed at least a month on nights/days before switching, switching this much is retarded. It's even harder on the body.
If a workday is a training day I trained before night shifts, preworkout would take me through half the shift at least. With our start time it wasn't really possible to do that on days but I would just train after and it would be ok.

I eat my meals like a normal day. So on nightshift night = day and just eat all my meals throughout shift. I would usually sleep ok with everything blacked out.

 

[Thor65]

We always stayed at least a month on nights/days before switching, switching this much is retarded. It's even harder on the body.
If a workday is a training day I trained before night shifts, preworkout would take me through half the shift at least. With our start time it wasn't really possible to do that on days but I would just train after and it would be ok.

I eat my meals like a normal day. So on nightshift night = day and just eat all my meals throughout shift. I would usually sleep ok with everything blacked out.

That’s what my wife does for nutrition as well. When she started nights I asked a couple of my friends that are some top nutrition coaches there opinions and they were the same. When you are up eat on normal schedule even if it’s your first day on and will be up for probably 24 hrs.

 

[FK86]

Never did shift work, but work 12-16 hour days pretty regularly. It’s f’n tough bro at times; physically taxing. Makes workouts an afterthought at times personally.

I feel your answer will depend on your lifestyle. Do you have children or married? The working out bodybuilder lifestyle won’t be a problem but everything else can become hard, stressful. My wife works night shift 12’s. It’s not necessarily the time she is at work that is so difficult but the time she has to sleep during the day tbh. I feel your schedule is doable but the days you work it will feel like that’s all you do. A twelve hour shift in addition to travel time is obviously very time consuming.

I actually had no intention of training on the days I work initially to see how everything affects me. That’s why I’m glad I follow a lower/upper split because a decent frequency can be maintained if I train on off days. The job is also not manual labour. It’s a mix of light labour and desk/computer work. I also get three breaks and two lunches, all paid for a 12-hour shift.

I've been working rotating 12 hour shifts for 17+ years. The schedule I work is referred to as the dow dupont schedule. One of the major pros is that assuming I work no overtime, which is rare, I get 7 days off in a row every 4 weeks. Your sleep patterns can get erratic, but I don't and won't have children, so that helps a lot. I take advantage of doing things during hours when most people are working. In terms of gym time, I currently work 4am-4pm or 4pm-4am; so on days I work at 4am, I'm in the gym at 2:30 am and the opposite when I work 4pm. We are allowed to cook at work, so it typically doesn't affect my meals too badly.

You’re a warrior.

I’ve worked much worse shifts that that..but you get used to 12’s..most people eventually love them

Policeman, firefighters, nurses, doctors, plant workers, factory workers, miners etc; a lot of people do it, so it’s being done. I know it will be a challenge but there has to be ways to manage. Like possibly staying up later when a rotation is coming up to coax getting up at a later time or something. Naps and other things. Did you or people you know have any tricks they used?

It's not so much the 12 hr shifts which are damaging to health, it's the quick swings from days to nights to days, that is proven to be harmful to health. The 'safer' way of doing it is something like 1-3months of nights, then 1-3months of days.

We always stayed at least a month on nights/days before switching, switching this much is retarded. It's even harder on the body.

I did this shift for over a year when I was young. Going to be honest I personally never got used to it. I was miserable. With that said I still have friends doing it and they've been at it for almost 20 years.

Rotating 12s. ..it’s not the peoples fault they get unhealthy.

It’s terrible. It’s fucking terrible. The day prior and the day after a night “flip” are wasted trying to sleep or trying to stay up.

Circadian rhythms fucked constantly, hunger
Is absurd due to poor sleep.
Your neighbor building a porch that week? Prepare to sleep 20h that week.

I quit a job due it nightshift.

I agree 100%. If it were up to me, I’d much rather have extended periods as opposed to such frequent rotation. I was actually surprised that this format even exists. At a previous job I had they did schedules by seniority. So, when I got hired, I was just straight nights and I was fine with it because of the consistency. I had ear plugs and other things to get through neighbours who mow the lawn and other stuff in the summers.

The fact of the matter is this job is going to completely change my life for the better and allow me to live a life I would not be able to otherwise. Whether I stay in the position or go after the opportunities it leads to, it's an absolute must. I won't bore everyone with my life story, but I am absolutely willing to endure the difficulties after what I've been through with employment the past 15 years since graduating from college.

 

[Thor65]

I personally would definitely make it work since it’s something you want to do. You can make it work. Some days will definitely suck but it might be very well worth it financially.

The worst that can happen is after a period of time and you realize it isn’t for you. I would rather do it and realize it’s not for me than to always wonder how good it was.