A Night in the Life of a Glasgow Night Shift Nurse
Jessica Mills is a paediatric nurse at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. In this article, she shares what a typical night shift looks like—from preparation, to coping with fatigue and the emotional toll of missing out on everyday life.
Preparations for Work
Prep for my first night shift actually begins the day before. I usually go food shopping, meal prep, and attempt to adjust my sleep schedule. I usually aim to stay up as late as possible, around 2am, and then sleep in for as long as possible the next day.
I used to try a different approach—stay up late and then force myself to get up early and go to the gym to tire myself out in order to nap in the afternoon before my shifts start. Over time, however, I found that I struggled to nap during the day, so staying up late and then lying in works best for me now.
When I do finally get myself up I usually go for a walk to get some fresh air, before coming home to relax and prep. The hours in the lead up to my shift are all about chilling out and avoiding stress before the night ahead.
Nights and the Grind
Night shifts take their toll—not just physically, but mentally too. Your body is awake when it wants to be asleep, and everything feels a bit upside down. Eating during the night is particularly tricky. I’ve experimented with different foods and routines, and I’ve found that having regular light meals and snacks helps maintain both energy and concentration.
I’m lucky to get three breaks during my shift. The first is around 10pm for 15 minutes—I always have a cup of tea and biscuits. Then, at around 1 or 2am, I get a 45-minute break where I eat something like chicken salad and another snack. The final break is also 45 minutes, and I go for another cup of tea and toast.
I avoid heavy, carb-laden meals that make me feel sluggish, and I steer clear of sugary snacks and energy drinks. Water is my go-to throughout the shift to stay hydrated. While some colleagues take naps on their breaks, I try to stay awake all night as it helps me sleep better during the day between shifts.
Mornings and the Next Day
Coming home after a night shift is a strange time. The world is waking up just as I’m winding down. Before bed, I eat a bowl of cereal to stop myself from waking up hungry. Then it’s straight to sleep. But sleep doesn’t always come easy. Even after staying up all night, your body sometimes fights the idea.
Re-adjusting after the final night shift is its own challenge as I try to set my body clock back to normal. I usually set an alarm to wake up at around 1pm after a few hours of sleep—just enough to function through the day and feel ready to sleep again that night. In reality though, I’m often too shattered to do much. I work in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) so a high-stress environment like that often means that post-shift exhaustion hits hard.
Still, having plans in the afternoon or evening helps. Whether it’s seeing a friend or just getting outside for a walk, having something to look forward to makes a difference. It gives me a sense that I’m doing something with my day.
The Challenges of the Night Shift
Over time, the impact of night shifts adds up. You miss daylight, your friends, social plans. In summer, watching people head out to beer gardens or picnics as you head into work can really sting. In some ways, winter night shifts feel easier—less FOMO when no one’s out enjoying the sun.
Mentally, therefore, night shifts can be really isolating. You feel like you're living in a different time-zone from everyone else. Seeing your friends’ stories on Instagram while you’re getting ready for another 12-hour stretch is tough. I love what I do but it’s a strange kind of loneliness.
There’s also the emotional strain of the job itself. Working in paediatrics, particularly in a high-pressure environment like ICU, means you’re juggling intense situations with limited staff and limited sleep. You carry a lot of it home with you—and when your sleep is broken or you’re waking up in the middle of the day, it’s hard to process any of it.
Night shifts require more than just physical stamina—they disrupt routines, impact relationships, and test emotional resilience. For Jessica, working through the night in a paediatric intensive care unit means balancing the demands of her patients with her own well-being. Despite the challenges, however, her commitment to the children and families she supports is what drives her through each shift—night after night.
 |
|