Not being disturbed

[HotelSecurity]

Most of us in this business have done or still do strange hours. How do you arrange it so you don't get disturbed if you have to sleep while the rest of the world is up?

I work 15h to 23h but then I'm on call to give advice in case of emergencies until 05h00. I sleep from around 05h00 to 13h00. My work provides me with a pager. It stays on. My family & close friends who know I'm sleeping & should only be disturbed in an emergency are given the number. I keep the house phones ringers off. I only use my house phone for outgoing calls. My cell phone is also turned off during the day.

[1stWatch]

Lots of caffeine! Black coffee and mountain dew are my friends. It sure is hard to make it through a shift at times without the prerequisite buzz from two Xtreme Shock drinks, a liter of mountain dew, and a liter of green tea. Wow, the heat prickles are still wearing off from my skin. I wonder if that's normal.

[Eric]

The last few years I have been on straight days 7-7, but I have worked 5 years of 7-7 nights.

I could never get 7 hours sleep at one time, about 3-4 after the shift and 3-4 before work. Family would know my schedule (posted on fridge) would do errands etc during my PM nap.

When I did 5X10 hour night patrols, I was able to sleep 6 hours in a row and have a 10 minute eye closing period during the shift. It worked. Always tried to sleep while the world was at work. Lots of communication to friends and family is needed though.

I could never drink that much coffee etc. One at shift start, and sometimes another half way through.

[ACP01]

Turn off phones, disconnect doorbell, white noise.
My wife says as distrubed as I already am I need not worry.

[Lawson]

I have put tin foil over my bedroom window so that the room is 100% dark when I go to sleep during the day. (It also keeps the CIA mind beams out!)

[HotelSecurity]

Lots of caffeine! Black coffee and mountain dew are my friends.

Straying a little off topic: Did you know there is a big difference between Mountain Dew in the States & in Canada? Clear soft drinks in Canada are not allowed to contain caffeine. Can you Americans imagine Mountain Dew WITHOUT caffeine?

[cnick001]

Can you Americans imagine Mountain Dew WITHOUT caffeine?

I believe that is called sugar water.
Myself, I quit caffiene a couple years ago, so now even a pepsi gives me a big boost when I need it.

As for sleeping, I do what I can, when I can, as recently I've been working 0700-1500 sunday, 2300-0700 tuesday wednesday, and 1500-2300 friday saturday. So, there is no such thing as a sleep pattern. Also at times I find a radio turned on low helps drown out the noise from the neighbors lawnservice.

[N. A. Corbier]

Usually only drink A&W Root Beer or A&W Cream Soda (Or the generic stuff at the store), none of which contain Caffiene. This is after years of considering a 1 liter of Mountain Dew an acceptable beverage. Say, 4 of them, at work, for a 12 hour shift.

We don't buy 2 liter bottles cause we'll go through them quick. Cans are unitized, and unitized allows you to know how much you have.

I sleep revolving hours that confuses the hell out of people, but mainly so that I can work with both clients (some of whom sleep during the day) and vendors (who are obviously 9A to 5P CST or PST) to get stuff done.

If I have to be creative, I better be awake around 2 AM, which is when I can get work done the best.

[EMTGuard]

Sign on door reads "DAY SLEEPER. DO NOT DISTURB DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS" Most family and friends know I work nights and don't call before 6pm. Those that don't get calls to their phones at 2 am when I'm awake. I have no landline phone, only cellphone and the number is on both the State and National Do Not Call list. Venders or telemarketers who manage to get through are told that they are calling a personal cellphone and further calls will result in a complaint with the State Attorney General office.

[exguard]

Not quite sure how I'll handle this one. - I'm returning to the security field after almost an 8 year absense {Worked as a career firefighter/emt so my sleep schedule already isn't normal}

After I go through my 2 week Class Orientation and 2 week shift / field orientation {Large Refinery} I'll be assigned to primarily security operations but will have the responsibility of handling all EMS and Fire Incidents as dispatched on a refinery complex larger than some small towns.

Anyway the shifts we'll work are what is known as 2-2-3-2 {2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, and 3 off than repeat the cycle - Basically every other weekend off} What is going to be tough is that each tour we switch between days and nights {1st day back after each set of days off is a new tour} either 0600-1800 or 1800-0600. I worked as a firefighter and I worked a host of shifts most recentley straight days for the last 3 years so this night thing will be new.........Plus a new baby at home ought' to keep things intresting while I'm making an attempt to sleep. Any tips to get or develop a normal sleep pattern ?

[HotelSecurity]

Sign on door reads "DAY SLEEPER. DO NOT DISTURB DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS"

Maybe I'm being too security paranoid, but isn't a sign like that a bad idea? It is almost like saying - No one is at home at night.

[EMTGuard]

Maybe I'm being too security paranoid, but isn't a sign like that a bad idea? It is almost like saying - No one is at home at night.

Someone is always home at night. My beter half is there taking care of the cat and making sure my TV shows are taped on the VCR.

[HotelSecurity]

Someone is always home at night. My beter half is there taking care of the cat and making sure my TV shows are taped on the VCR.

Is the cat going to defend her? I have 5. Mine would watch while an inturder did or took anything he wanted. My Belgian Shephard on the other hand.....

[GCMC Security]

Is the cat going to defend her? I have 5. Mine would watch while an inturder did or took anything he wanted. My Belgian Shephard on the other hand.....

I dunno about EMTguard, but an intruder would probably be safer breaking into the house when I was home instead of just my exwife, she was a bit handy with a pistol, but jumpy as well, I on the other hand would probably give them a chance to leave, she would just shoot em.....

[EMTGuard]

Is the cat going to defend her? I have 5. Mine would watch while an inturder did or took anything he wanted. My Belgian Shephard on the other hand.....

Not the cat...the 9mm pistol she keeps on her computer desk or the Remington 870 12 guage in the closet.