I recently started a new single pilot freight run that flies basically the midnight shift however I was wondering how other pilots on similar schedules actually get enough sleep to not drive themselves insane while having as "normal" of a life as they can.

The Run is a weekday "Out, layover, and back" run where I am home every day in the middle of the day. This means that I actually get my FAA required rest at my home during the middle of the day and not at night. Here's what the schedule is like:

Leg 1: ("Outbound" leg)
Show: 7:30pm
Block Out from home = 8:15pm
Block In at layover city = 9:45pm

Layover:
Hotel = 11pm - 4am

Leg 2: ("Return home" leg)
Show: 4:40am
Block Out: 6:30am
Block In at home = 8:00am

Off Duty:
At my home = 9am - 7pm

I have been trying various combinations of split sleeping (4hrs at layover + 4 hrs at home for example) but I am just not taking to it very well. I have been on the run for a little over a month now. Thanx for your input!

 

Sleeping Pills

 

Actually I'm not sure if you'll be able to have a normal life style with that type of work schedule. That type of schedule is approaching upon me rather quickly also. The only possible way, that I see, that you can keep your body from quitting on you is sleeping during the day. I know it's pretty unfortunate. I'm a night person myself, but it will vary from person to person.

However, since our natural sleep cycle is during the evening hours I see it being very difficult to sleep for 3-4 hours during the middle of the night, then waking up again in the early morning. You are preventing your body from fully recuperating by dividing up your sleep schedule.

It might be better for you to get your full 6-8 hours during the morning after you get back. You will be more rested and more alert then being a mindless zombie.

 

this is the common schedule at FDX or UPS

 

Try sleeping a couple of hours during the layover and as much as you can when you get home.

 

This schedule is the typical UPS feeder aircraft schedule. My run offers Saturday service therefore, I live at the outstation city and not in the base city but most of the contract runs that fly for UPS are feeders (meaning the "out, layover, then back" schedule).

I dunno, I have found that the mornings are the worst. I wake up after only a few hrs of sleep and I am dead. I need two cups of coffee to get me half way home lol.

 

Get yourself a prescription for Ambien CR. It will knock you out without the "hangover" that sleeping pills give you.

 

They are on the approved list, but you must wait 48 hours after taking before flying again.

 

frankly it won't get better as you get older or have kids. I think back to how easy it was before I got married flying these types of schedules.

Try sleeping no more the 45 minutes during your work period and finding a cool pitch black room to sleep. Much better to get 6-7 hours straight of sleep if you can then to split it up.

Next step if you don't like the schedule is to stay away from cargo outfits as your career progresses.

 

The vampire shift... a long while back I used to spend a bit over half my time on it, and hated it. But you've got it for the full year - ouch.

The split sleeping is going to be a hard one to make work. I'd concur w/the 45 minute nap in the hotel, and then spend the extra time w/other work (good time to knock out some classes towards your degree/study for next cert/write a book/etc). And definitely get some good exercise in. That will help a ton.

Problem w/the exercise is going to be that the Hotel gym and/or pool are probably closed, and not sure I'd want to be running near MEM at midnight. Good solution to consider is packing a couple power bands and running a P90X-style workout.

Like Airbum says, the trick to sleeping in the middle of the day is a pitch-black room with a comfortable temp. When we lived in Alaska, we had mylar-lined cellular miniblinds on our windows that both blacked out the room during long daylight hours and were awesome insulators.

When you wake up, get lights on, and then get into some bright light relatively "early" - natural is best, but one way or the other, don't stumble through a dark house as you prep for work. This works well during deployments, but would be a hard thing to do if you've got family.

I'd stay away from the drugs. Some guys use Melatonin, but I'd even avoid supplements like that. Eat well, exercise, and do your best to keep to a schedule.