Sleeping on night shift.
Sleeping on night shift.
Ok, so I work in a group home of higher functioning developmentally disabled individuals. I love my work. I am good at it as well. However I work the night shift and from time to time I do fall asleep as the people I take care of are on medications that completely knock them out. Although it was not DIRECTLY communicated that this shouldn't be happening, it was "assumed" that I should not be falling asleep on the night shift. It may seem somewhat obvious that it is not good to be doing what I am doing. But good/bad is a matter of perspective. My work is completed every night, but I don't have enough work to fill the night. My supervisor has even done a night time visit and noticed that I was sleeping but didn't say anything to me( I got up before she seen me with my eyes closed, but it was obvious I had been asleep). So, am I in line with the precepts? I'd really like some outside perspective on this.
"Remember you dont meditate to get anything, but to get rid of things. We do it, not with desire, but with letting go. If you want anything, you wont find it." - Ajahn Chah
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: Sleeping on night shift.
Right Effort, Right LIvelihood. Right Mindfulness/Awareness, Right Intention..... Hmmm.... the 5 precepts are not the concern here, in my opinion....
If you fall asleep on the job, when you know you shouldn't, then this isn't the job for you....
Why don't you sleep during the day?
If you fall asleep on the job, when you know you shouldn't, then this isn't the job for you....
Why don't you sleep during the day?
You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.
Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
If it is not your intention to fall asleep unnoticed, I don't see a problem with regards to the precepts either. Work is hard, the body and mind is getting tired.
Get the wanting out of waiting
What does womanhood matter at all, when the mind is concentrated well, when knowledge flows on steadily as one sees correctly into Dhamma. One to whom it might occur, ‘I am a woman’ or ‘I am a man’ or ‘I’m anything at all’ is fit for Mara to address. – SN 5.2
If they take what's yours, tell yourself that you're making it a gift.
Otherwise there will be no end to the animosity. - Ajahn Fuang Jotiko
https://www.youtube.com/user/Repeataarrr
What does womanhood matter at all, when the mind is concentrated well, when knowledge flows on steadily as one sees correctly into Dhamma. One to whom it might occur, ‘I am a woman’ or ‘I am a man’ or ‘I’m anything at all’ is fit for Mara to address. – SN 5.2
If they take what's yours, tell yourself that you're making it a gift.
Otherwise there will be no end to the animosity. - Ajahn Fuang Jotiko
https://www.youtube.com/user/Repeataarrr
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
I do sleep during the day.
"Remember you dont meditate to get anything, but to get rid of things. We do it, not with desire, but with letting go. If you want anything, you wont find it." - Ajahn Chah
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TheNoBSBuddhist
- Posts: 1614
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 4:06 pm
- Location: Loch Lomond, via the High AND Low road....
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
Well, either not enough, or there may be another issue...
How come you are so tired?
Are you anaemic?
Do you have any kind of medical situation that may be contributing to your tiredness?
Are you always on night shift , or do you alternate day shifts as well?
How come you are so tired?
Are you anaemic?
Do you have any kind of medical situation that may be contributing to your tiredness?
Are you always on night shift , or do you alternate day shifts as well?
You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.
Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
How come you are so tired?
It's night time and I find it difficult to stay awake when it is dark outside.
Are you anaemic?
Not that I am aware of, and I have blood work periodically.
Do you have any kind of medical situation that may be contributing to your tiredness?
Possibly, but no doctor has ever given me a diagnosis or told me anything was wrong.
Are you always on night shift , or do you alternate day shifts as well?
I'm always on night shift.
I have tried and forced myself to stay awake on night shift before. Basically if I don't stand up then I will fall asleep. I have to do paperwork for about an hour every night as well, and I have woken up with my face on the paper work and I didn't even know I fell asleep.
Lately i've found solace in the idea of just letting it happen. I've found that if I just let it happen then when I go home during the day it is much easier to sleep. I know that sounds contradictory, but it is the truth.
In the past I have used adderall and ritalin to stay awake and it works. I can stay awake at night, but then I have a horrible time sleeping during the day.
It's night time and I find it difficult to stay awake when it is dark outside.
Are you anaemic?
Not that I am aware of, and I have blood work periodically.
Do you have any kind of medical situation that may be contributing to your tiredness?
Possibly, but no doctor has ever given me a diagnosis or told me anything was wrong.
Are you always on night shift , or do you alternate day shifts as well?
I'm always on night shift.
I have tried and forced myself to stay awake on night shift before. Basically if I don't stand up then I will fall asleep. I have to do paperwork for about an hour every night as well, and I have woken up with my face on the paper work and I didn't even know I fell asleep.
Lately i've found solace in the idea of just letting it happen. I've found that if I just let it happen then when I go home during the day it is much easier to sleep. I know that sounds contradictory, but it is the truth.
In the past I have used adderall and ritalin to stay awake and it works. I can stay awake at night, but then I have a horrible time sleeping during the day.
"Remember you dont meditate to get anything, but to get rid of things. We do it, not with desire, but with letting go. If you want anything, you wont find it." - Ajahn Chah
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
Perhaps you could try finding another job? I'm guessing you've tried to get a day shift at your current job to no avail. Sorry if that's bad advice but it seems like avoiding it would be the best way to solve the problem.
I know a human being can get used to being awake all night and sleeping during the day but I don't think it's healthy.
You might want to check this out if you haven't already: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm
I know a human being can get used to being awake all night and sleeping during the day but I don't think it's healthy.
You might want to check this out if you haven't already: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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Hickersonia
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- Location: Cincinnati, OH
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Re: Sleeping on night shift.
Just throwing my two-cents into it -- night shift sucks. At my workplace, we instituted a third-shift for the specific purpose of performing receiving and bulk product putaway functions that otherwise clog up the warehouse and make the process of filling orders too complicated. The number of equipment accidents on that shift (11PM to 7:30AM) is astronomical compared to the number of accidents the rest of the hours of the day combined.
I have long decided that working the night shift would be "wrong livelihood" for me. Maybe it works for some people, but I'd be half alseep at my desk, or worse, on an 8,000 pound piece of equipment.
I would inform your supervisor that if there isn't a possibility of moving to a daytime shift at your current place of employment, they should expect you to find employment elsewhere. I know.... easy to say in my position, much harder to do.
Whatever you do, may you be well.
I have long decided that working the night shift would be "wrong livelihood" for me. Maybe it works for some people, but I'd be half alseep at my desk, or worse, on an 8,000 pound piece of equipment.
I would inform your supervisor that if there isn't a possibility of moving to a daytime shift at your current place of employment, they should expect you to find employment elsewhere. I know.... easy to say in my position, much harder to do.
Whatever you do, may you be well.
Hickersonia
http://hickersonia.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of
throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned."
http://hickersonia.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of
throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned."
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
as Sokehi pointed out if it's not your intention to sleep unnoticed or to sleep period while on a shift, there's no moral problem as long as you get all your work done
if you're uneasy about this, you may tell the superiors that it happens and see whether they offer some solution or don't object to it
if you're uneasy about this, you may tell the superiors that it happens and see whether they offer some solution or don't object to it
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martinfrank
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Re: Sleeping on night shift.
Hi!
I worked on the night shift in a small hotel and tried to keep awake by learning Pali but I would be dreaming I'm learning Pali, dreaming I'm writing Pali sentences in Devanagiri script (the script used to write Sanskrit, Hindi and many other North Indian languages). Like you, I tried to sleep during the day but that wouldn't keep me from falling asleep at night. Night shifts without work are tough. You may dream your wide awake while in fact you're asleep.
Did you try to give yourself a fixed task like going through Rosetta Stone lessons which keep your mind busy? Did you try sitting and walking meditation and reading Discourses aloud?
If you make sure that you wake up when you're needed and don't neglect your tasks, you should not blame yourself since you don't steal from your employer. Somebody has to do that job and another person would probably fall asleep too. The problem is connected more with your job than with your person.
Whenever we get into the finer points of morality, it is good to check whether we are avoiding the larger problems by focusing on the smaller ones. At least that is my experience with myself.
May all beings be happy!
I worked on the night shift in a small hotel and tried to keep awake by learning Pali but I would be dreaming I'm learning Pali, dreaming I'm writing Pali sentences in Devanagiri script (the script used to write Sanskrit, Hindi and many other North Indian languages). Like you, I tried to sleep during the day but that wouldn't keep me from falling asleep at night. Night shifts without work are tough. You may dream your wide awake while in fact you're asleep.
Did you try to give yourself a fixed task like going through Rosetta Stone lessons which keep your mind busy? Did you try sitting and walking meditation and reading Discourses aloud?
If you make sure that you wake up when you're needed and don't neglect your tasks, you should not blame yourself since you don't steal from your employer. Somebody has to do that job and another person would probably fall asleep too. The problem is connected more with your job than with your person.
Whenever we get into the finer points of morality, it is good to check whether we are avoiding the larger problems by focusing on the smaller ones. At least that is my experience with myself.
May all beings be happy!
The Noble Eightfold Path: Proposed to all, imposed on none.
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
Indeed. Very tough. I do it a lot in my line of work. It is difficult to COMPLETELY transition and have it be like day time even if you do it for weeks at a time. Day sleep is NOT the same as night sleep. When it is dark your body wants to sleep.Hickersonia wrote:Just throwing my two-cents into it -- night shift sucks.
My company considers "sleeping on the job" as theft of company resources so it is no mystery to me what it means if I fall asleep - it is stealing. Clarify what your company's thoughts are on the matter and then you can make your decision. That it was not "directly communicated" is your tactic for justifying what may be considered stealing by your company, and keeping your distance from the truth about how they view sleeping doesn't make it okay - especially now that you are questioning if it is wrong. Like I said, find out what the company policy is. If they say it is okay then everything is fine.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
Re: Sleeping on night shift.
I would say that if you are responsible for these peoples' care and something were to happen due to you being asleep, that would be negligence. However, I do not know what your job entails.