Surviving Graves

[BigDogatPlay]

Excellent tips mixicups!!!!

+1... very good advice there. Particularly around food choices and caffeine intake.

I worked a lot of graves and always enjoyed it. Did more quality police work in the middle of the night than I ever did on any other shift. The mental stimulation will always make you more tired than most any matter of physical exertion.

My sleep schedule usually adapted pretty well and to this day it's really easy for me to slip into an all nighter on vacation and within a day my sleep pattern is turned around for graves. Sometimes it's a real problem since my work now is essentially all daytime hours.

[Flipper]

I have done lots of mids as an MP both as a patrol doing 5/3 8's and as a desk sergeant doing 3/3 or even 4/4 12's. I always tried to drink lots of water because the last thing your body needs while working nights is to be bombarded by caffeine from coffee, soda and energy drinks. Also stay away from fast food as much as possible, bring your own stuff instead. Sleeping in the day sucks, period end of story! I would highly suggest investing in a good sleep mask and in-ear ear plugs. I typically get about 4-5hrs after shift and then make up the sleep on my off days. I know some guys who couldn't sleep to save their lives would get meds from the dr to knock themselves out after shift, HOWEVER if this applies to you as well, actually go to the doc, don't be chugging a bottle of nightquil...

[TheExpertish]

+1... very good advice there. Particularly around food choices and caffeine intake.

I worked a lot of graves and always enjoyed it. Did more quality police work in the middle of the night than I ever did on any other shift. The mental stimulation will always make you more tired than most any matter of physical exertion.

My sleep schedule usually adapted pretty well and to this day it's really easy for me to slip into an all nighter on vacation and within a day my sleep pattern is turned around for graves. Sometimes it's a real problem since my work now is essentially all daytime hours.

Yeah, I'm starting to hear my PT instructor's words in my head again reading this. He had some great tips on how to take care of yourself. Wonder if I have any of his old notes with my old academy books.

[sacshooter1]

I feel for the OP on this thread. I am back on graves for the first time in 6 years and it is worse than I remember it. The work it self is good, but the days off are horrible as I never really know when I will be awake or asleep. I haven't been able to flop my sleep schedule around on my days off very well, but the one good thing is that shopping at the 24 hours Wal Mart at 0300 is always entertaining and the lines are short.

[Josh3239]

I work security and come Oct 15 people are getting laid off and to make up for the losses I am taking a Monday graveyard. Not looking forward to it. Not sure how much longer I'll be there anyways.

Im gonna keep an eye on this thread.

[bubbagump]

Not LEO. Security & non-sworn work.

I LOVED grave. Hated morning and evening shift. Swing was aight...

I would bring music, books, magazines, or just find another officer to BS with.

I also found that the best thing to do when you just can't stay awake is STOP DRIVING. Don't be stubborn about it. Just stop driving. I've fallen asleep behind the wheel and driven through photo enforced red lights. A partner of mine fell asleep and drove his brand new unit into a chain link fence once. Just park somewhere and walk. Nothing wrong with walking. Sitting in the unit will just make you fall asleep.

Then there is caffeine and tobacco. I did both and it was hit or miss.

As for sleeping...I can't give you any good advice. My sleeping habits are horrible.

[five.five-six]

not LE, but i am pretty tactcool so here goes

I worked graveyard for many years, huge advantage is that I have a lot of free time in the day to do things. definitely cut off the caffeine several hours before the end of your shift. I have found that things work out much better for me if my head can hit the pillow BEFORE the first signs of first light. sleep 5-6 hours and a 1-2 hour nap before going in for the evening. turn off the phone during sleep time. on weekends, use a truncated schedule.. you don't have to stay up to 5:00, but do stay up past 2:00. this worked well for many years for me.... then we had a baby and all bets were off, screaming infant sorta trumps everything

[hitman13]

Graves are the only shift worth while.

THIS!!! :P

[cowboykenny]

MIXICUS has it right. But I add these also, cut out the soda all together, just drink water lots of it, I try to stop drinking anything after 0500 or I end up having to get up to use the head in the middle of my sleep. Sometimes after a busy week on one of my days off, I will get the kids to bed early like by 1930 and go to bed at 2000. My wife will take care of the kids in the morning and I will sleep until like 0900. Doing this once a week or even once every other week really helps me keep fresh. Also 30 min of cardio a day, I stopped for a month, when I restarted I saw a huge difference. Take care of your self. last time I went back to graves it took my body a little over a month to get re acquainted.

[retired]

I worked EMs for 9 months each at two different stations and hated, hated, hated it. My body never adjusted to it.

I would leave for work at 9pm, but I was ready to go to sleep at that time. I only managed to stay asleep until 3pm whether I worked 11-7 or 12-8am.

One of my former partners at Industry worked over 20yrs. on earlies. When I left to go to days, I thanked him and people like him who liked that shift which allowed people like me who hated it, to finally get off it.

By 0400, it was completely dead out there (at least the stations I worked) and it was difficult to stay awake. We all worked one man cars when I was at Lakewood, so there was no partner to talk to while driving. At least at Industry, we generally worked 2 man cars, tho they did have some one man "sister" cars, who rolled to calls together.

My hat is off to the those who like working that shift and Uhhlexxxis, I'll have to respectfully disagree with you at to EMs being the only worthwhile shift. PMs was generally a busy shift and you could get a lot done when not answering calls.

Probably one of the most effective shifts IMO, tho I really didn't like the hours, was 1800-0300. I worked that in a two man car on the weekend. During the week it was 1700-0200.

[hitman13]

<work 6p-6a, 4-4-3-3 on/off.

I come home by 7, try to be in bed by 730, sleep until 1or2, rinse lather repeat.

I love graves, but have a hard time getting to the gym before I work, so that part sucks....

[fullrearview]

I wish I could be on graves... NO MICRO MANAGEMENT!!!!

[BodyPiercingByColt]

Not a LEO (yet), but as a security guard, personally, I love working the swing shift (1500-2300). Still, I've never had a problem with working grave. I much prefer it to working days.

DO NOT try to have a regular schedule during the day and then sleep/nap a few hours before going to work. Huge mistake. Every guy I've worked with who does that either goes through hell every night or gets caught sleeping (at least at some point). It's bad enough not paying attention to the earth's proper cycle, but trying to trick your body just makes it worse. You need to be up for at least two hours before you head to work.

Try to relax on your way home after your shift is over. The biggest problem I had was that I was so amped to get off work and get home that I couldn't relax and fall asleep.

Also, do not get more than eight hours sleep: no matter if you choose to sleep mornings or afternoon/evenings, use an alarm clock. It's invaluable.

What others have said that I agree with: Cool and dark bedroom with white noise. Stay away from caffeine for at least last two hours of shift.

[PositiveInfluence]

Don't eat fast food, or if you have no choice find something that is not processed (In n Out I believe is a good choice.) The 0200 "Mud Butt" is the worst, especially when you nothing is open.

[TheExpertish]

Don't eat fast food, or if you have no choice find something that is not processed (In n Out I believe is a good choice.) The 0200 "Mud Butt" is the worst, especially when you nothing is open.

I've been doing pretty well there. Wife has been packing me snacks and food that I need. I've been craving Taco Bell though. I know it's NGA so not going to give in.