Sleepy at Work?

By Icee
Philippines
March 28, 2016 3:42am CST
Many jobs usually happened in a daytime. But what if you are working at night. How do you manage staying awake the whole time of your shift? Since I am living in the Philippines and I am working for a US based company, I worked at night. Which is roughly 12 hours difference in my time zone. Every month our schedule change. That means I need to adjust my body clock that often. Many of my colleagues drink coffee or anything with a high caffeine content on it. Some smoke packs of cigarette to stay awake. But me, since i dont drink coffee and I already quit smoking the only thing that keeps me awake is talking (pens, papers and cellphones are not allowed in the production area). As long as I am talking to anyone or anybody I will not feel sleepy at all. So expect that when I am travelling to home I am sleeping the whole time of my travel hours. And I usually woke up knowing that I already passed the place where I should have to drop off. :D How about you? How do you control yourself from falling asleep when its not yet time or you're not yet allowed to sleep?
8 people like this
13 responses
@jrramos (184)
• Loule, Portugal
28 Mar 16
Don´t tell me about it, I just start now a discussion on how was my weekend, I can tell you was terrible and I´m now working, well also writting because i´m allowed to but I´m so tired, I just want my bed.
2 people like this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@jrramos Okay you can always swim in your dreams! So two birds in one stone!
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@kitikiti oh, I hate that feeling of wanting to sleep but can't because of work. That to me is a big sacrifice.
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
I want my bed too at this point of time. But im still at work
1 person likes this
@MGjhaud (23240)
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
as much as possible i get enough sleep but not too much. i dont take naps at work cause it easily change my body clock and it takes time for me to get back to my usual. i used to walk before during my lunch time which serves as my daily exercise and stress reliever but things have changed. i take at least 2 mugs of coffee. i dont miss that part of my day or else im done.
2 people like this
@MGjhaud (23240)
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@kitikiti try not to..
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
When i am sleeping it always takes more than 8 hours thats why i feel sleepy before my shift started
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@MGjhaud i have an alarm set on my phone but everytime it rang i just turned it off and go back to sleep.
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
28 Mar 16
I think it can be really tiring if you work night shift. I have not work on shift before, but I used to work until late night or midnight when I was rushing for my project. But, glad that there were other colleagues working together, so it's easy. Even though I worked in day time, I felt sleepy sometimes. I either drank a cup of coffee to wake me up, or I just slept for a short while. Sometimes, it could be half an hour. I am glad my ex-boss allowed us to do so, he did the same as well, as he knew especially after lunch, our energy level is low, so it's good to take a short nap to recharge, then we'd perform better afterwards. If I am not allowed to take a nap, perhaps I'd just go to the washroom and wash my face, or just take a short walk. Chatting with colleagues might be a good idea too.
2 people like this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Here in our office if our senior manager caught us sleeping, trees will be crying.. memo will be served and tendency we will not receive our incentives
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
4 Apr 16
@kitikiti What? I am sorry to hear that. Hope you'll find some ways to get rid of the sleepiness while you are at work. I have not been in a office that is so strict, as my previous companies allow us to take a short nap. Perhaps our job is project based, so as long as we complete our work, it's fine if we just take a short nap or have some chit chatting time.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Working at night is something I can't really do. It is just so hard for me.
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@kitikiti hahaha, I will never be a morning girl at all if I work at night. And yes it is really hard to work in graveyard shift because night time is for sleeping not for working.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@salonga your name will be transitioned from morning girl to evening girl. thats true evening is for sleeping but our main office is in the US so i really have no choice..
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Your name fits you. Lol. But kidding aside its really hard to work at night especially you have to fight yourself from falling as sleep.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Right now I feel sleep while browsing for a topic to respond to. I don't know maybe it's like this when ever Im done with my bath or there's isn't much to do sleeping
2 people like this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
I feel you. It happens to me as well everytime I just had a bath my eyes wants to close. Same goes when i just finish my meal. Lol.
@AkoPinay (11542)
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Same with others I drink strong coffee, just black without cream and sugar.
2 people like this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Doesnt it tastes bad? Or youre just used to it? Black coffee may cause gastritis
1 person likes this
@AkoPinay (11542)
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
@kitikiti yes its bad taste helps me control from falling asleep
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@AkoPinay how i wish my body responded the same way with coffee
@maezee (41988)
• United States
29 Mar 16
Hopefully your body will get used to it. I dont work nights but I will be switching to that shift soon...I have coworkers who are totally used to it. That would be a hard adjustment for me. I would suggest a lot of coffee. Lol. Best of luck
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
29 Mar 16
@kitikiti oh wow. Five years is a long time to adjust to something then. Maybe your body just doesnt like it? It seems unnatural to be up and awake when its dark out. Does your company offer first or second shift positions?
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@maezee what is first and second shift positions? Sorry. But our company changes our schedule every month. Like it adjusted for 30 minutes early or late. Sometimes 1 hour
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
I am working graveyard shift most of the time for the last 5 years but i still feel that i am still on the adjustment stage.
@Shavkat (139933)
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
I can just have a cup of coffee. That's the best magic trick to fight sleepiness at work.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
Im jealous. I dont drink coffee and before when i was still a drinker it still dragged me to wanting my bed
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
28 Mar 16
It must be hard to change shifts all the time. I never worked at night, so I don't know.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Mar 16
I really wanted not to work at night but i have no choice this is the nature of my work. but i love it.
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
29 Mar 16
So talking is part of your job? I am a natural night owl so working during those hours would not be difficult for me.
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
28 Mar 16
Wow, that must be hard to do. When we travel, we keep going, especially outdoors, then go to sleep their time.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
29 Mar 16
@kitikiti It must be sooooo difficult!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@DianneN sacrifice. That is the only explanation why im still hanging on it.
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
Its hard to sleep when you know for a fact that after a month youre going to adjust again
1 person likes this
@rina110383 (24492)
28 Mar 16
I always sleep early at night so that I won't be sleepy at work. I drink coffee and I always keep myself busy at work.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
With morning shift i can stay awake eventhough i only have 2-3hours sleep but at night eventhough i have 6-8hours sleep im always sleepy
1 person likes this
@Dextoi (1845)
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
Hello there! It's really hard when you work for someone who's in a different time zone. I can recall some acquaintances that are working in a call center. They work at night and come home in the morning. They really did smoke a lot and drink a lot of coffee... But a lot of people suggests that eating apple is the same as drinking a cup of coffee... it's worth a try I guess... But as for me, I have my day job and I don't like to stay late at night. I need a lot of energy to get through my day job.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
Thank you for that new knowledge. I have tried that apple
1 person likes this
@Dextoi (1845)
• Philippines
29 Mar 16
@kitikiti I think i'll be staying a bit late tonight... So, i'm having one... i'm cooking some "lechon paksiw tonight". I need to watch over it hahaha...