Nightshifts

Pulling two 12 hr nightshifts in 48 hrs lets you know the true meaning of tired. It's a metaphysical fact that the observation of sleep problems induces sleep deprivation and sleep problems in the observer. The fact of observing alters the observation- one of the reasons sleep records should be interpreted after the fact.

Nightshift fucks you up physiologically and psychologically, and longitudinal studies show nightshift workers die earlier. You start getting cold, muscle/bone aches, headache, thirst, tachycardia, hypotension, nausea and hunger through the shift. The hours between 4.00 and 6.30 am are the most painful, then you get a second wind after 6.30 am as a result of biorhythms and anticipation of the end of a long shift. This circadian 'lift' means you can't sleep when you get home. I couldn't sleep for 8 hrs after the first shift, and thus slept in for my second shift though I managed in late. My sleep and activity cycles were screwed up and free-running for the next few days.