Is working third shift THAT bad for your health? What are some of the hazards and what are things I can do to off set them if at all possible.

My husband worked third shift for a year. Here are questions/problems he had to solve:

When do you sleep?
How do you sleep (sleep pattern)?
Where do you sleep and under what conditions?
Do you need to change your diet?
What activities do you participate in when you are awake?

I worked 2nd shift ( which our shifts were 7a-7p and vice versa) and my physician begged and pleaded with me to get on the 1st shift. He told me the human body is not capable of *switching* days and nights. Therefore your unable to heal correctly if ill and your not as mentally alert as your day shift counter parts. I thought if I worked nights I could sleep when my kids were in school. I was mistaken and I suffered as well as my children. I didn't realize it till I changed jobs and now I work days only. I feel so much better and have so much meeting energy. Plus I don't miss out on my kids functions because of being tired.

I worked 3rd shift for years and loved it, hated to ever go back to 1st shift ( had to after wife died to be with my kids)

If you live your shift, you have to learn and be able to sleep days, you set a regular time, and do it,

Too many people, try to stay up all day and do "day things" and never sleep properly.

In day work, you work, come home for a few hours, do things then go to back. You sleep till time to get up and go to work, Do that on 3rd shift, come home at 6 or 7 in the morning, then do your things you do, mow the yard, do the shopping, then by noon, or ever when a normal sleep time, and go to sleep, turn off the phone, perhaps foil in the windows to make it dark, and you sleep.

Then on the days off, guess what, don't try to change day/night, stay up all night and still sleep days. There is a whole world awake at 3 am. Large stores are open, do your shopping and more. No lines at the car wash at 2 am.

I even switched what I ate, at 8 am I had dinner, at 10 at night I ate breakfest.

I never had a issue ever. The people who had issues, tried to live normal hours at home or switched to day hours on day offs.

Your response was a little more relieving. I will definitely live my shift as I have no yard to mow, no kids to look after, not even a girlfriend to tend to.. Not sure if that last one is such a good thing. A lot of people I've come across try to do "day things" and end up miserable.

I'll be getting off at 4a so I'll get to sleep a little earlier at least. I have no kids or real obligations too and follow a rigorous diet so hopefully I'll fair a little better. Hope you get back on day for your sake.