Sleep (and other such impediments)

[JustaUnicorn]

What's up folks?
I've noticed that if I get less than 5 hours of sleep, I become nauseated and shaky. I feel really sick the entire day.I'm concerned because I know there will come a time when I will be getting 2, maybe 3 hours of sleep (rotations, intern year). Caffeine worsens my shakiness and nausea so it doesn't quite work for me. Any words of wisdom?
I appreciate your input. Thanks.

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[masaraksh]

patient: Doctor, I have this pain. Right around this area. Its kind of sharp and intermittent.
patient: ...
patient: Doctor, whats wrong?
patient: You're shaking. Why are you shaking? Whats wrong with you!?!

 

[Boolean]

Invest in one of these.

 

[AquiVoy13]

I really like the title of this thread.

But no use in worrying about clinical rotations or residency now. For now, just get the amount of sleep you need to do well and be healthy. I don't function well with two or three hours of sleep, but if I need to do it in the future, I'll just deal with it then.

 

[kyamh]

Why don't you cross that bridge when you get there? There are relatively few situations when you will actually have to sleep for such short amounts of time unless you choose to. There will be a mandatory rotation or two during your clinical years when you may be stretched really thin, but it's only a couple months tops. I expect one of two things will happen: you will get used to whatever rhythm is required because you have no other choice and end up not minding the lack of sleep as much, or you will continue to hate every second of sleep deprivation and choose a specialty that does not include such hours.

Resident hours have been pretty strictly limited to not longer than 16 hour shifts with at least 8 hours in between shifts. Yes, these hours can vary a bit from program to program, but no one is going to expect a 36 hour shift from you anymore.

 

[JustaUnicorn]

I know these things are years away, but its in my nature to think in long term. Baby, I was born this way.

 

[13132]

What's up folks?
I've noticed that if I get less than 5 hours of sleep, I become nauseated and shaky. I feel really sick the entire day.I'm concerned because I know there will come a time when I will be getting 2, maybe 3 hours of sleep (rotations, intern year). Caffeine worsens my shakiness and nausea so it doesn't quite work for me. Any words of wisdom?
I appreciate your input. Thanks.

I feel your pain. Happens to me too, but I don't have a solution. Well thats not true...I have found remaining very well hydrated takes the edge off.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

@JustaUnicorn

I have also tried to shave down my hours spent sleeping in preparation for residency. I try to sleep for ~ 4 hours per night, but it usually doesn't happen.

 

[Microglia]

@JustaUnicorn

I have also tried to shave down my hours spent sleeping in preparation for residency. I try to sleep for ~ 4 hours per night, but it usually doesn't happen.

This strategy seems counterproductive, like wearing out a cars engine before a big race.

 

[JustaUnicorn]

@JustaUnicorn

I have also tried to shave down my hours spent sleeping in preparation for residency. I try to sleep for ~ 4 hours per night, but it usually doesn't happen.

Haha, I truly hope you're being facetious. I'm not shaving down sleep in prep for anything. That would wear me out. I've just noticed that in occasions when I happen to have less than 5 hrs of sleep, I feel sick.

 

[JustaUnicorn]

I feel your pain. Happens to me too, but I don't have a solution. Well thats not true...I have found remaining very well hydrated takes the edge off.

Thanks for the tip! I thought I was the only one with these particular symptoms.

 

[Dictionaria]

I have the same issue. It's a total productivity killer because the mind is willing but the body is weak. I find that too much caffeine definitely makes it worse if not combined with food. Short naps are usually worse than no sleep at all. I end up trying to consume heavy foods and staying well-hydrated, which makes me feel more like I've slept. I can defend these as "on the job tested" techniques when going directly from my night job to my day job. Some people say they gain weight doing this, but I find that my work makes my schedule so erratic that in sum I eat less.

 

[Burla]

If you go to bed 3 hours earlier you will lose the three hours you think you "lose" by sleeping but will make up for it in productivity and not wanting to die?

 

[Ace-Co-A]

This strategy seems counterproductive, like wearing out a cars engine before a big race.

I think of it as practice -- forming good habits. It's tough to keep up, though.

Haha, I truly hope you're being facetious. I'm not shaving down sleep in prep for anything. That would wear me out. I've just noticed that in occasions when I happen to have less than 5 hrs of sleep, I feel sick.

For me, less than four is rough and requires "catch-up".

 

[Reckoner]

I think of it as practice -- forming good habits. It's tough to keep up, though.

But...that's not a good habit.

I agree with aquivoy and kyamh here - get a healthy amount of sleep while you can and worry abut it when it actually becomes an issue.

 

[elektroshok]

Resident hours have been pretty strictly limited to not longer than 16 hour shifts with at least 8 hours in between shifts. Yes, these hours can vary a bit from program to program, but no one is going to expect a 36 hour shift from you anymore.

No more than 16 hours is just intern year bro. You can still do thirty hour shifts after intern year. I had to do couple Friday 6ams to Saturday noons as a fourth year on my sub I... Even tho 24 is supposed to be the max as pgy2 and above

 

[Pandaeac]

What's up folks?
I've noticed that if I get less than 5 hours of sleep, I become nauseated and shaky. I feel really sick the entire day.I'm concerned because I know there will come a time when I will be getting 2, maybe 3 hours of sleep (rotations, intern year). Caffeine worsens my shakiness and nausea so it doesn't quite work for me. Any words of wisdom?
I appreciate your input. Thanks.

I have the same problem. I agree with the water suggestion. Also, I think making sure you eat enough will help. Protein especially.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

But...that's not a good habit.

I agree with aquivoy and kyamh here - get a healthy amount of sleep while you can and worry abut it when it actually becomes an issue.

 

[Oso]

I feel you, OP. I'm currently trying to break my hibernation habits in order to prepare for residency.

 

[Aerus]

I think of it as practice -- forming good habits. It's tough to keep up, though.



For me, less than four is rough and requires "catch-up".

Your body will get used to it, but your body still stores a "sleep deficit", you know. Why take out loans when you still have plenty of cash?

 

[PTPoeny]

No more than 16 hours is just intern year bro. You can still do thirty hour shifts after intern year. I had to do couple Friday 6ams to Saturday noons as a fourth year on my sub I... Even tho 24 is supposed to be the max as pgy2 and above

It's 24 hours of direct patient care and 30 total. So that last 6 can be signing out, writing notes, presenting on rounds, ect, but a new team had to be there to do the patient care.

And get all the sleep you can when you can get it. It is really silly to practice sleeping less. Your body will do much better if you have the sleep you need and just missed a few nights than if you chronically don't get enough sleep.

There will also be days you miss a meal or two because you are running around busy. Would you try to prepare for that by starving yourself for years ahead of time? I'm definitely a person who needs enough sleep and regular meals to feel normal and not be nauseous and it hasn't been a problem for me as long as I am busy.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Your body will get used to it, but your body still stores a "sleep deficit", you know. Why take out loans when you still have plenty of cash?

I don't know. I should probably look up all of this stuff about sleep and not just wildly speculate on things that might negatively impact my health.

 

[Aerus]

I don't know. I should probably look up all of this stuff about sleep and not just wildly speculate on things that might negatively impact my health.

Some psychologists say that the average emerging adult has lost about a year's worth of brain development due to lack of sleep, but I have no evidence to back this up, so I'll just leave that as a food for thought.

 

[JustaUnicorn]

I feel you, OP. I'm currently trying to break my hibernation habits in order to prepare for residency.

Hey wait a sec, is this you by any chance??

 

[JustaUnicorn]

If you go to bed 3 hours earlier you will lose the three hours you think you "lose" by sleeping but will make up for it in productivity and not wanting to die?

LOL true, I will think on this. Thnx

 

[Frazier]

Learn about the sleep cycle and sleep for durations that are divisible by 90 minutes.

You might be surprised by the difference you feel when waking up after 4 hours vs. 4.5 hours.

 

[Oso]

Hey wait a sec, is this you by any chance??

yeah, but before I went pre-med

 

[Muad'Dib]

yeah, but before I went pre-med

I can't even handle this... "THESE GODLESS TWERKING MACHINES" hahaha

 

[smallbiz2doc]

I know these things are years away, but its in my nature to think in long term. Baby, I was born this way.

I'm with you... thinking about taking a job for clinical experience that will require overnights. Would be excellent experience but I'm not sure if I can handle it and keep grades up (or even retain anything I learn for that matter!).

 

[Mad Jack]

I don't do well on low amounts of sleep. Energy drinks seem to help, while caffeine on its own seems to just make me anxious. The best things that have helped me are:

1) Exercise moderately 3 times a week. I suffer from insomnia, but regular exercise seems to make me fall asleep faster and harder, leading to better sleep quality and a more rested feeling when I wake up.
2) Don't eat a lot of simple carbs during your first meal of the day. I do a 4 egg omelet with ham, Swiss, spinach, and tomatoes every morning before a 12 or 16 hour shift. I don't know why it works, but probably has something to do with the slower uptake and conversion of energy from a meal that is more heavily loaded in protein and fat.
3) Take vitamin B complex and vitamin D with your last meal of the day. You probably won't be getting out much, hence the vitamin D, and the B vitamins provide a lot of components that are critical for your body's regenerative and metabolic pathways. Try them both for two weeks and see if you notice a difference.
4) Eat properly. A balanced diet goes a long way toward keeping your energy levels where they need to be throughout the day, and will make you feel better overall.
Also, as a person said above, hydration is -key-. Good luck.

 

[lazyindy]

IMO you should aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep (preferably 8) each night. If you have a habit of sleeping late, fix it, sleep earlier and wake up earlier to work on anything you have to. A well rested mind will do you more favors than you might think.

 

[Aerus]

Learn about the sleep cycle and sleep for durations that are divisible by 90 minutes.

You might be surprised by the difference you feel when waking up after 4 hours vs. 4.5 hours.

There are very few people out there who actually know how to take advantage of their sleep cycles. Sleep inertia is a real thing.

 

[PTPoeny]

Learn about the sleep cycle and sleep for durations that are divisible by 90 minutes.

You might be surprised by the difference you feel when waking up after 4 hours vs. 4.5 hours.

This is an ...interesting... suggestion in a thread about how to deal with lack of sleep during clinical rotations and residency as a lot of the lack of sleep involves call. You go to sleep when you finish clinical duties and you wake up when your pager goes off. In a few rare cases you know when the next patient is scheduled to arrive on the floor our have some idea when a critical lab will be coming back. But realistically when you go to sleep on call you have no idea if a patient will code 5 minutes from now, or a nurse will decide that a diet order needs to be fixed 2 hours from now or of you will get to sleep through the night.

 

[Life Sucks]

Don't do surgery. ;p

 

[JustaUnicorn]

I can't even handle this... "THESE GODLESS TWERKING MACHINES" hahaha

Aye, rack city! I'd forgotten that song. Gotta get my dance on now, I'm out.