Sleep Cycle and Attending Status

[finalpsychyear]

I'm in the process of changing my sleep cycle and want to know what most attending's schedules are like in terms of sleep. I have been spoiled with 3rd and 4th year where most days we don't have to be in till 10am sometimes noon. My goal is something like going to bed at 10-1030 and waking up by 530am..

7 hours is quoted as the best number from a mortality perspective and sleep before midnight i have read is better for unknown reasons... nrem/rem ratio? Regardless my questions:


1. What time do you sleep and wake up on average including weekends?

2. Did becoming an attending force you to adjust your sleep or have you always had that same pattern?

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[Shikima]

Have children, it'll set your circadian rhythm.

 

[milesed]

What program allows you to come in at 10 am or noon?

Whatever sleep cycle you force yourself to keep is what your body will gradually adjust to. You eventually won't be able to sleep past 530am.

This is kinda cool- http://sleepyti.me/

 

[OldPsychDoc]

11-6, usually. But milesed is right--I can't sleep past 630 anymore, even on weekends or vacation. I've learned to enjoy that quiet hour!

 

[wolfvgang22]

I do outpatient with some inpatient consults. I get the odd consult to the ER at 10pm or 3am once or twice a month. I usually get 6-8 hours of sleep. I won't work anywhere that interferes too much with sleep as long as I have a choice, and as a psychiatrist I have a choice. I don't do inpatient in this city because the hospitals demand their psychiatrists come in at night for every seclusion and call all night for admission orders. Screw that.

 

[Shikima]

11-6, usually. But milesed is right--I can't sleep past 630 anymore, even on weekends or vacation. I've learned to enjoy that quiet hour!

I'm arising without the alarm between 5:45-6am. Come 8pm, my brain shuts down.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I work 9 to 6 or so most days and usually sleep from 12 to 8. No kids. I have bad discipline with sleep and do things like run at 10 pm. I should go to bed earlier and wake up and exercise then, but eh, it doesn't happen. The joys of psychiatry are that you can often find a way to start your work day at 8:30 to 9. My sleep pattern is pretty close to what it was in the later years of training. One current sleep cycle issue -- I'm on pager call one night a week, which means I do get woken up in the middle of the night more often than not.

 

[finalpsychyear]

What program allows you to come in at 10 am or noon?

Whatever sleep cycle you force yourself to keep is what your body will gradually adjust to. You eventually won't be able to sleep past 530am.

This is kinda cool- http://sleepyti.me/

During 3rd year we worked at 3 clinics. State started at 9am, Va started at anywhere from 8-10am and people came in just before when their first pt was scheduled and the university clinic you scheduled your own patients so on those days people started from say 12-5 back to back. 4th year we have more university clinic so you get to pick your time to start while meeting the pt quota for the clinic.

I work 9 to 6 or so most days and usually sleep from 12 to 8. No kids. I have bad discipline with sleep and do things like run at 10 pm. I should go to bed earlier and wake up and exercise then, but eh, it doesn't happen. The joys of psychiatry are that you can often find a way to start your work day at 8:30 to 9. My sleep pattern is pretty close to what it was in the later years of training. One current sleep cycle issue -- I'm on pager call one night a week, which means I do get woken up in the middle of the night more often than not.

You sound very similar to me. Somehow doing this low carbish diet currently I'm waking up earlier than normal. Today at 5am. Surprised i feel so good on 6 hours. Studied a few hours for boards this am.. felt good. Anyways, point being getting up at 5-6am ,i did it of course when on inpatient IM, and would be sleepy at 9pm. I think going forward its the smartest move career wise and health wise. There is something to be said about sleeping when it gets dark and rising at the crack of dawn. Seems more and more people do things teh way nature intended the benefits eventually get released. This one I feel it but am too lazy and dammit saul is on at 10pm-11 which always gets me off schedule

 

[FlowRate]

I get the odd consult to the ER at 10pm or 3am once or twice a month.

What sort of things do you get called for overnight? Seems like most evals could theoretically wait until the morning, although that's certainly inconvenient for the ED/patient.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I do outpatient with some inpatient consults. I get the odd consult to the ER at 10pm or 3am once or twice a month. I usually get 6-8 hours of sleep. I won't work anywhere that interferes too much with sleep as long as I have a choice, and as a psychiatrist I have a choice. I don't do inpatient in this city because the hospitals demand their psychiatrists come in at night for every seclusion and call all night for admission orders. Screw that.

I'm guessing you can put off those consults until the morning? Otherwise yikes.

At my job, you only need to do an in person assessment at the start of seclusion and restraint and then again within 24 hours. Surprisingly we rarely have seclusion and restraint even though I work in a high acuity unit. We never, never go in over night -- if someone needs to be seen, the hospitalists will see them for us, which is nice. I can't imagine ever being able to hire psychiatrists if they have to go in at night. That sounds so painful.