The Perks of Being on Night Shift

As a student back then, I found it more comfortable and more efficient to study at night; hence, I dubbed myself a night owl.

Now that I am past the student phase, I landed a good job that, unfortunately, requires me to work at night regularly. Health-wise, working at night is not beneficial: higher stress levels, messed-up circadian rhythms, higher gastric acidity levels, and much more. But looking on the brighter side,  I can list down a few things that can make night shift duty much more preferable than on normal office hours. Here's why:


1. Less traffic jam, less pollution
Say good-bye to rush hours! One of the best things about going on night duty is that you do not have to worry about getting late because of traffic jams—unless you wake up late, though. Another thing is that you do not have to suffer from fumes, smoke, dust, and other air and sound pollutants that come with traveling during the day. Fresh air and faster transportation—two of the things I love with being a "night shifter."   

2. Less likely to have darker skin
You have now become a member of a vampire coven. You go home early in the morning, when the sun hasn't risen that high yet, and you go to work at night, when the sun has already set—no exposure to sunlight, therefore less likely to have darker skin. In a Filipino's point of view, this is a selling point; almost all Filipinos want to have lighter skin, right? The downside is that you do not get enough vitamin D and you might become more sensitive to light. But if that means getting lighter skin, then what the heck.

3. Less likely to eat out
I do not know about others, but the lack of 24-7 restaurants in the vicinity makes me less likely to eat out—unlike in the day shift where there is a plethora of stores that serve food to entice you to eat even when you are not hungry. Plus, when you are on a financial diet, the high prices of food served from 24-7 stores would be enough reason not to spend. (Bringing your own lunch and snacks can help you save money more!)

4. More quiet environment
In relation to number 1, the lack of traffic jams make the street far less noisy than during the day. In the office, specifically in non-BPO settings like where I work, people tend to be as quiet too. Of course, there are points in the shift when people start to get restless, especially when fighting off the urge to sleep. But generally, I find it more peaceful to work at night.

5. More reasons to enjoy the weekend
The lack of sleep and the lack of social exposure during the weekday would prompt you to look forward to the weekend more—more time to sleep, more time to spend with friends (who are, in most cases, working on the day shift), and more time to bond with your family and loved ones.


When you think about it, night shift duty isn't all that bad. (The night differential pay also makes it up big time!) As long as you take measures to care for your health and your safety (snatchers and hold-uppers, anyone?), and as long as you budget your time well, you'll definitely survive working at night. :-)