What time do you start work and what time do you leave at the end of the day? For most Americans, a normal working day starts around 8 a.m. and ends around 5 p.m. But more people now work the night shift—starting around 11 p.m. and finishing around 7 a.m.—than in the past. In the US, for example, there are around 3 million people who work the night shift—doctors and nurses, firefighters, farmers, and cleaners are all working while others are sleeping. We spoke to three people who regularly work nights to find out how they do it … Harrison Blaine, 29, is a security guard at a Las Vegas club. He says: “I work three nights a week. I don’t like getting up early in the morning, so for me the night shift is perfect. There are always people coming in and out of the club and it gets very busy on the weekends. I was unemployed for about a year, so I’m glad to have a job. Plus, working at night means I can study for my diploma during the day. I’d like to work in hotel management.” Melissa Gray, 20, works as a chef in a 24-hour restaurant in Chicago. She says: “I’ve worked the night shift for the past year. It’s OK, but I don’t see my friends very often because I’m at work when they’re going out. But the salary is good, and I can save money because I don’t go out often. I live with my parents, but I want to live in an apartment on my own. I usually finish at about 7 a.m., go home and sleep, and then watch TV before I start work at 10. The hours are long, but when you start as a chef, you know that it’s just part of the job.” Katerina Muller, 26, works at the front desk at a Miami hotel. She says: “The night shift isn’t a problem for me. I only need about five or six hours of sleep a night. I go to bed early and usually start work at 3 a.m. I finish around 10 a.m. Then, I go home and take care of my daughter when my husband goes to work. I don’t see him very much in the week, but we have the weekends together as a family.”