The Hidden Cost of Working Nights (And How to Make It Work for You)
Sharing what years of night shifts taught me, so you don’t have to learn the hard way
Is the night shift worth it?
I worked nights for 6+ years. While it opened doors, it also came with sacrifices.
Here’s what I wish I had known earlier — things that could help you protect your health and plan for your future career.
From Just Getting By to Growth
At 27, I was a Tier 1 agent.
My nights were spent processing calls, creating tickets in Siebel CRM, and passing them to the SAP tech team - on repeat.
Then one day, a manager asked me to prepare a Soft Skills training presentation. It was my first real step into something beyond my daily tasks.
I was excited, but also exhausted. The night shift had taken its toll.
Balancing Career Growth and Exhaustion
By night, I handled tickets. By day, I was a trainer. That meant -
finishing my shift before sunrise
grabbing whatever breakfast I could (sometimes only banana + coffee)
heading straight to the training room before 9 AM
no sleep, only a quick reset before teaching my peers how to communicate better with customers
It felt good (different from the usual routine) but, burnout hit hard.
In your 20s, you feel invincible, fueled by seemingly endless energy. But as you start to settle down, build a family, and enter your 40s, you realize your health must be the #1 priority all along.
The Reality of the Night Shift (What No One Tells You)
Working nights is a different kind of beast.
From 10 PM to 1 AM, you’re still fine. But between 2 AM and 3 AM, it feels like you’ve taken five sleeping pills and are fighting against them.
We had our tricks -
splashing cold water on our faces
exchanging funny stories
munching on crunchy snacks like peanuts, chips and trail mix
Anything to stay awake while typing.
The best part of night shift:
The camaraderie - post-shift breakfasts at 24/7 diners, celebrating project milestones with long, leisurely buffets (our version of happy hour). These moments bonded us - as we shared client horror stories, and found joy in a highly stressful environment.
The pay - our company offered night differential and it was attractive.
Fewer distractions - no daytime town halls, fewer meetings, less office politics.
The worst part of night shift:
Sleep deprivation - your body never really rests. Even thinking about it now gives me a migraine.
Missing personal and family time - weekends don’t feel like weekends when your schedule is flipped. You miss lunches and birthday events because, honestly, you’d rather catch up on sleep.
Long-term health risks - disrupting your sleep cycle affects immunity, mental health, and overall well-being. Studies link chronic night shift work to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and even mental conditions like bipolar disorder.
Career Growth vs. Health (How to Make Night Shift Work for You)
If you’re in your 20s and considering a night shift role, go for it — but be smart about it. You’re altering your body’s natural rhythm, so prioritize extra self-care to stay healthy and energized.
One of the biggest takeaways from working nights is empathy.
When you experience the challenges firsthand and interact with others in the same situation, you develop a deeper understanding of people.
That’s a valuable skill, one that stays with you long after the night shift ends.
How to Protect Your Health While Working Nights:
Drink 3+ liters of water daily — hydration keeps your brain functioning
Take lots of vitamins — boost your immune system
Exercise like your life depends on it — even a short walk helps counteract sitting for long hours
Prioritize sleep — no matter how tempting it is to stay awake, protect your rest
I remember my cousin Jireh, a Customer Success Manager at a call center. His mom would text him to make sure he was awake for his shift.
My late mother did the same for me — waking up in the middle of the night just to be my human alarm clock. These little sacrifices from our loved ones, unnoticed at the time, mean so much later on.
You can’t buy back your health, and no job is worth sacrificing your well-being. If you’re working night shifts, take 1000x extra care of yourself. If you feel the toll on your body and mind, start thinking:
Do I have an exit plan?
Is this something I can sustain?
How can I transition to a healthier schedule in the future?
How Night Shifts Can Accelerate Your Career
While tough, working nights has unique career benefits that many don’t realize:
Faster promotions – fewer people work nights, so leadership roles open up faster
Global exposure – you interact with international teams and clients, which improves your communication + relationship building skills
Problem-solving skills – with fewer resources at night, you are more independent and proactive
A Turning Point
One of the biggest advantages of working night shifts was exposure.
I interacted daily with people in the U.S., absorbing their culture, their challenges, their way of thinking.
I remember one conversation with an onshore project manager. I laughed so hard at something she said, and she replied,
"Mae, that was a good laugh — it went all the way to New York!"
I jokingly responded,
"Since my laugh already reached New York, then I’ll make sure to follow it there someday."
That was 2008.
That moment planted a seed.
Six years later, I moved to New York.
If you’re working nights, use the exposure to expand your career opportunities. When you talk to people from different backgrounds, your world expands.
You start to dream bigger. You grow exponentially.
From Night Shift to New Beginnings
Now at 45, I look back at all those decisions that led me here.
The night shift instilled in me discipline, resilience, and the importance of health.
It showed me sleep is non-negotiable. Without it, you miss details, misunderstand conversations, and struggle through meetings with an empty brain.
Today, I’m in a new chapter — building a digital business, publishing online, and using my experiences to help and serve others.
The night shift is tough, but it can give you perspective, skills, and connections, if you use it wisely.
A Call to Leaders
Let’s ask ourselves
Are we building careers and businesses that support long-term well-being?
Are we setting an example of sustainable success for our teams?
Are we prioritizing health as much as we prioritize growth?
Final Thoughts
Working night shift was a phase in my career that taught me endurance, sacrifice, and the hidden costs of chasing career success.
Looking back, I’ve redefined success, which is, having a well-rested body, a calm mind, and the energy to enjoy time with loved ones.
Whether you’re working nights, running a business, or leading a team, build a future that allows you to operate at your best.
Because in the end, worldly success means nothing if you’re too sleepy to live it.
If you’ve worked night shifts, what’s your experience? Would you do it again?