Night Shift Survival

If you look at the glass half empty, half of my schedule is night shifts.  Glass half full, ONLY half of my shifts are at night.  As I round out the end of my two weeks of night shifts, this glass is defiantly half empty.

This really bothers me.  I don't want to survive half of my life, I want to thrive in all my life.

First, I am going to attempt to fix this by changing my attitude.  Giving up on the attitude of survival and trying to embrace the attitude of thriving.

Second, I want to create a night shift routine.  When I am awake during normal hours aka the daylight, I have a routine.  I read scripture, I eat three meals, I have a bedtime routine, I just function better.  Well if half my life is spent working nights I have to have a night shift routine too.  I have to find a time that I open scripture.  I need to eat healthy food.  I need to thrive when I work night shift.

Now I know that I know something about doing night shift.  My tips to anyone else trying to thrive with night shift is try different things to see what works for you and don't expect them to always work.  Sometimes the night before I work I stay up as late as possible so that I can sleep in as late as possible.  Other days I don't sleep much at night so that I can take a good nap.  That however is a risky move because if I can't nap I haven't slept much before I go into work.  Above all, believe in Benedryl.  If you work two days in a row and it is bright, sunny, and hot outside take a half a Benedryl and you will sleep the whole day through.  Benedryl and I are best friends when I work nights.

Any other night shifters out there?  Anyone else switch between nights and days?  What are your tips and drinks?  Love a night shifter desperate for help.