23 Mar 2017

Shift work has become the norm across a whole bunch of different industries these days. Instead of the old nine-to-five day, shift workers are those who work irregular and unconventional hours. They often do the important stuff that needs to be running 24-hours a day, jobs in industries such as healthcare, hospitality, transport and tourism.

But there’s an age-old question within the shift working community that has been troubling the world’s great philosophers for aeons: is it better to work the night shift or the morning shift?

It’s a battle which some have suggested predates even the ancient conflict between good and evil, but just because every baker knows they start work before the sun rises, and every bartender knows their vocational home-ground is under the midnight moon, doesn’t mean we can all agree on which shift is better.

So which is the superior time of day to be earning your crust?

Well, it all comes down to when you like to be sleeping. And this really depends on whether you’re a sunny, chirpy morning person or a bloodthirsty vampire. Personally, I’d place myself firmly in the bloodthirsty vampire category, and have therefore spent many a long night sweating it out in commercial kitchens, on the bar at the local watering hole and behind the wheel delivering pizza. All these noble professions have their perks and drawbacks, but I’ve always enjoyed the late nights and long sleep-ins, the knock off drinks and midday breakfasts. For me, night shift has always been the superior lifestyle choice, hands down.

As a night owl, I’ve always had an inherent distrust for early risers. Before coffee, this distrust can manifest itself into utter hatred. After coffee, the hatred usually subsides and I remember that these chirpy, happy people aren’t bad people–they’re just morning people.

Maybe for you, waking up before sunrise and being a barista sounds appealing. This is good news for everyone, because the world will always need baristas and breakfast chefs. If you work mornings, you will be making the world a better place. There’s also the added advantage of knocking off in the early arvo, so you’ve still got time to rally some mates for a beach trip or take a nice long nap in preparation for a night out. But don’t go too hard–you’ve probably gotta get up at 5am to get to work the next day, and no one wants to still be drunk for that.

The world will always need both kinds of shift workers to run. It’s really just a matter of figuring out when you’re functioning at your best, and then finding the work that matches your sleeping needs.

Whether it’s night shift or day shift that you’re doing, here are some valuable tips that I’ve learned about preserving your mental health while working weird hours:

  • Make sure you get to see the sun for an hour (or preferably a few hours) each day, even if you’re going to be sleeping most of the day.
  • Try to eat three regular meals, even if you’re eating dinner at 6am before bed, or breakfast at 5am before work.
  • Give yourself an hour or so to unwind after work rather than going to sleep straight away, even if you’re finishing really late.
  • Coffee and food will give you energy and keep you awake. Booze might make you sleepy initially, but its effects can wake you later on and disrupt restorative sleep.
  • Napping before a night shift or after a morning shift is wonderful, but short naps (like 20 to 30 minutes) are generally way more restorative than long ones.