How do you personally cope with shiftwork?

Live with it. You have co-workers who also are shift workers, develop them as friends and don't try so hard to conform to "normal" hours. We are diurnal animals, but whipsawing between di- and nocturnal will play havoc with your immune system and you will seldom be your best. On your last shift of the cycle, go home and to bed early, take a short nap (two hours is generally satisfactory) then you can carry on with your diurnal friends without too much hassle.

The only way I have learned to deal with shitf work is to stay on the night shift even on my days off.  Call me crazy but this works for me.  It also helps that my daughter is 17 and able do a lot of things for herself.  I love the night shift but used to really struggle with sleep, it took a bad car accident, abroken right foot, and a lovely limp for life for me to make this change.  Since I have I am the happiest I've ever been, and feel reborn as a respiratory "terrorist"  Breathe well and be safe.