overnight or day shift?

i hate night shift. been at it for 5 years. i feel tired all the time. even when i get enough sleep.
 
When I was single and had no kids, I love night shift. Call volume was generally slower and the calls more serious. The traffic was also always in the opposite direction. If I needed to do things during the day, I could. I was usually able to make up for sleep on night shift, vs running all day on a day shift.

Things changed a lot with kids. I have two small children, and nights just did not work. I would get home at 0630 and the kids were up by 8. I was very rarely able to get sleep at all during the day, and hated sleeping when home, because then I don't get to see the kids. This meant the only sleep I could get was at night. One busy shift, and I was screwed. Night time also became the only alone time my wife and I had, so not being home took that away.

In the end, I landed a shift that I love. I currently work from 18-02 Sunday through Thursday. Its an awsome shift. Its back to the nights like I loved, but I can still come home and spend some time with the wife, plus sleep before the babies get up. Its also kind of nice to work an 8vs12 because my current FT spot is a busy squad. This shift is specifically awsome because I have off all day Friday and Saturday and don't have to be back until 1800 on Sunday. Essentially a three day weekend, every week.
 
If I have to work 12 hour shifts, I absolutely love the night shift. Teh only shift I like better was my 11-2300 shift I had for a bit at a hospital I worked at.
That said, my preference is still 24 hour rotations.
 
10-2200 and 11-2300 is awesome. Hoping to jump on those soon if I cant get two 24s
 
nights. As a Basic working for a private, days get their asses kicked hard. my first day was a day, and we pulled 13 calls and were held over for 2 hours . at night, we pull between 4 and 6. I have time to finish my reports, and to sleep or read or do whatever i want. the calls are more varied, interesting, and there are higher chances for basics to go on a 9/11, and the dispatchers play favorites less.

I live opposite normal people, though, and my company offers no differential.
 
I like day shifts, 0430-1630. Get home the same time rest of the family gets home.
 
I've been doing the night shift 3 years now and love it. Imo it better than the day shift.
 
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