Preferential battle of the shifts: 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. or vice-versa?
 

Would you rather work from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. or the converse (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), say, 4 days a week (or even just as a one-off)?

I’m an extreme night-owl so the decision’s obvious for me. I don’t know why people look down on night shifts and night owls so much. If it wasn’t for us, you might as well forget about imperative night-time security and emergency medical treatment (people aren’t only sick or injured from 9 to 5), or even the option of being able to call Samaritans at 3 am, when the world’s largely asleep. And you can forget about nights out.

Night-owls get a really bad rap but … ya.

I used to be a night owl (and do sometimes miss it), but I’ve got so used to getting up early now and enjoy the mornings as the sunrises, as the world is so calm and still.

Preferably neither but if I had to choose, 8am-8pm. I do hate mornings but I don't want to mess around with my body clock that much

…preferably neither, either but 8am to 8pm would be the better…night time has a lot more restrictions in terms of social stuff/family time etc…

I'd prefer a 6am-6pm if I had to do a 12 hour shift.
Couldn't do permanent nights, it messes with too much of your life.

I'm not sure night owls are looked down on, it's just that most people couldn't do it. I have a lot of respect for night workers but there's no way I'd ever be one

Tbh I'd never do a job where I have to work 12 hours in the day either apart from if it was exceptional circumstances

i've done stints of nightshift in the past and it always left me permanently tired. We are meant to live in daylight and anything else messes with your health

We were talking about this yesterday in relation to nurses and police how can you be top of your game after a slog like that, the last few hours must be interminable

I have never worked more than 9 to 5 and mostly I have worked part time....hats off to anyone who does a night shift or a 12 hour shift, but no thank you

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) says that shift work may cause
cancer if it disrupts circadian rhythms.

And yet, someone has to do it. That’s just the bottom line. Alcohol can cause cancer indirectly and cirrhosis, yet people still drink. I hope you never end up in A&E on a Friday/Saturday night because of some drunken mishap, or a heart-attack, only to find that no-one will treat you, because no-one works night shifts anymore. Don’t dismiss the essential and invaluable nature of night work just-because you couldn’t do it/take pride in being a morning lark.

I just don’t get what everyone’s problem is with night work (beyond the obvious). I’d rather do 12 hours on a Sunday evening/night and be greeted with bed and a cuppa on a Monday morning than the rush-hour. That’s one way to at least partially abate the Monday blues and the sheer boredom of Sundays.

I don’t see anybody having a problem (beyond the obvious). Care to elaborate?

You asked a question which people would prefer and then seem to be pissed that people don't want to work nights???

I know plenty of night owls who still prefer to work days so they can actually socialise woth friends in the evenings.

Your sleep patterns shouldn't necessarily dictate your work.

No but if they correlate, that’s a good thing.

Each to their own but that honestly sounds awful to me lol. Wouldn't be able to enjoy my weekend at all knowing I had to work all night on Sunday and I'd rather be working a normal day on Monday than spend it sleeping off a 12 hour night shift

I like a good Sunday anyway, it's 50% of my days off [emoji23]

The other thing worth noting is that doing night shift completely destroys your social calender.

Again, someone has to do it. If you want 24/7 medical care (or at least the opportunity of it), not everyone can be tucked in by 22.00.

I like to experience the early bird and night owl life similtaneously, by getting up at 7am to work 9-5 fuelled entirely by caffeine... but then also not going to bed until 3am. And sleeping half of the weekend away.

Probably hacking years off my life tbh.