I need to breath..

I can relate to the feeling of having an altered sleeping pattern. Honestly, min had been turned upside down. :( It's great to hear though that you have people to draw your strength on. At the end of the day, it helps a lot to have someone you know you can count on. And please do! Once in a while, it will help to just relax and give yourself time to breathe. :) I hope you're feeling better after letting out your thoughts here. :D

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But the job market today sucks. So my advice is that there is nothing stopping you leaving this job for something easier and more suited to living a healthy lifestyle. In fact, if what matters to you is your family's happiness, I think you should go for it. However, do not just leave, start allocating some time each day to searching for a more suitable job, but don't even mention this to your current employer until you have a holiday. With regards to a holiday, yes nature is an excellent way to escape stress, but please do it in a way that respects the environment.

Oh, I guess you have to find time time for yourself. Reward yourself once in a while. I also feel that way. I want to give up my job and find another one but I can't afford to lose it. I'm the breadwinner of my family so I have to work continuously. I am praying that God will give me a better future. My family is also my inspiration. They give me strength each day. I hope my boss will be more considerate but I guess he's getting worse each day. May God bless us all and continue to guide us. Happymylotting.

Hi eiram you have said it all. i agree with you and you have worked hard and it is time to reward yourself. it is important to take time out and re-energize yourself. you will feel better. just take a break and do not leave the job. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day ahead.

You deserve that vacation your planning! It's no joke to work on night shift 5 days a week. You really need to have a break. I'm sure your family wouldn't mind at all. And while you're at it, try to start looking for a day job. It will do a lot of good on your health.

Working the graveyard shift is stressful and very exhausting, until you get used to it. I love the graveyard shift. When I first started working security in 1999 they had me working from 4 to midnight. They asked me if I wanted to work 8 to 4, but I said no way, so they put me on second shift, later when a third shift position came open I asked for it and I was working 11 to 7. I loved it. I worked at night got home around 8 a.m. then I had all day to take care of things I needed to do, I'd go to bed about 4 p.m. sleep until about 9p.m. then get up and get ready to go back to work. I did that for 8 years. Sometimes I'd take on other shifts. Three days in a row I worked 15 hr shifts. I loved security, then when I went to work with the county I worked 12 hr shifts. I don't want a job unless I can work graveyard shift. Working nights leave my days open to do what I want. I've been out of work now for 4 years and I keep the same routine as when I was working. I go to bed about 2 or 3 a.m. get two or three hours sleep then I'm up again between 5 or 5:30 a.m. I've never really had a problem with night shift work, I like nights. I have talked with people a lot younger than myself that can't handle working nights. There is more stress involved and day sleep is not as good for you as night sleep. I guess it's what you get accustomed to. If you are having difficulty with graveyard shift, you may want to look into a different job, but make sure you have one lined up before you leave the present job. Stress kills. My doctor told me that I had better slow down and get rid of some of my stress. I had 2 mild heart attacks, one when I was 44 and one when I was 45 and it was stress related, but my stress wasn't just because of working nights.I was working security, but I can't elaborate further. I was under a lot of stress. I never took vacations or any time off. When vacation time came around I took my vacation pay and kept working. I didn't want any time off. I loved my work. I'd like to get back to work doing the same thing. Don't let your job or sense of duty to others make you sick to the point you can't function. If you're working like this to support a family, then they need you well, not sick. Your health is the number one thing, because you're no good to yourself or anyone else if you get sick. Take care of yourself.

I can feel you Ana. Don't worry you are not alone in that point. a lot members are experiencing the same thinng like you. I am also a bread winner of my family and i know how it feels like to be. I am also on the same field and I know how hard it is to work in a graveyard shift. I've been doing it for almost like 7 years now and I did not even increase my weight because of it.I felt burn out and there were times that I do not want to wake up before my shift and just one to sleep all night long but it popped up on my mind that i have to go to work not only for myself but also for the benefit of the people that needs me. Call center is the highest paid job in our coutry. we can have the morning shift but we will lose the night differential. for me its fine as long as we are more happy working than we just push ourselves since its required.for the meantime, be patient, just think think that 13th month is fastly approaching. that is why mylot is here and i am happy that i was able to introduce to you the site at least there is already a place where you can share your thought, opinions, frustrations and everything.

I worked 8 years on midnights 7 days a week. I laugh at people who complain about it and barely work it. You work 5 days, which means you get 2 days off to recover. That is mroe than I got, I would work 3 -4 weeks straight, get 1 day off, and so on. People I use to work with complained all the time, about how they hate their job, nights, and how they felt. So if you don;t like it change jobs, you take that risk of not finding another job, or not making as much if you caant take that risk then suck it up. I use to work myself into the hospital,a nd that was my break I didnt complain to anyone about it because I knew I couldnt afford it. I got off nights, took that jump and lost over half my income (was making $3,000 a month now barely hitting $1,000), and now looking for another job for a year and nothing nor nearly as much income. Midnights make more, and bring in a chunk of money you will have stress and loss by going off them but if they are really that big of a deal you have to weigh the pros and cons or if your ready for the stress and humps of trying to make up the lost income.

I do understand your working drive. And that is truly admirable, not so many people that I know can make that ultinate sacrifice out of love. But you must also love yourself. If you think that keeping this health-hazard job will help you and them, it won't because when your body breaks down you won't be able to work at all. Try to look for a new job, perhaps? But don't quit your work until you have a sure job to replace it. And rewarding yourself is definitely in order.

Yeah, working on a graveyard shift is not "healthy" at all. But leaving your job at this time is definitely not a good idea. Why not take some multi-vitamins it will help you boost your energy, and do some exercise, 30 mins a day is enough to charge your tired mind and body. Rewarding yourself is the best. It's perfectly fine to do that, so you can relax,unwind and have a peace of mind. I believe there is no such thing like an easy job, but i also believe that everything should be balance. Good luck on your job and stay happy and healthy :D