Weird sleep schedules

erikalanem
erikalanem Posts: 48
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone else have jobs the require strange hours of sleep? We are hay farmers, and sometimes that requires us to work all night, or go to work at 3am. I have been using the theory that every meal should be about 3 hours apart and probably no more than 300 calories. How do other people figure it? When I am up for 20 hours straight, I eat over my calorie limit for the day, but usually sleep more the next day and then eat less.... Any farmers, or doctors, or other all nighters out there?

Replies

  • majica8
    majica8 Posts: 210 Member
    Not because of a job, but my sleeping is pretty messed up. I'm often up until 3-4am and then sleep until 11am-midday. (I have delayed sleep phase syndrome.....permanent jet lag basically)
    I'm pretty bad for late night snacking and have often gone over for the day because of it. But then I'll sometimes skip breakfast if I'm getting up a midday.
    I just try to look at my weekly totals more than daily. Even if I have a bad day or 2 it doesn't mean I'll be over for the whole week.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Extensive international travel had me in a weird middle time zone for a long time. Go to work at 10:00 a.m., leave work at 3:00 a.m. Board plane at midnight the next day, arrive in L.A. at 6:30 a.m. Rinse and repeat. Yea. Good times.
  • sallyann10010
    sallyann10010 Posts: 21 Member
    I'm a nurse and work days and night, I try to take my calories from 12-12 so twelve midnight to twelve midnight, then if I eat extra after that time it comes out of the next day, and as you say when your asleep the next day you don't really eat that many, thats what I do anyway. Don't know if that helps.
  • mistyblu13
    mistyblu13 Posts: 71 Member
    maybe you should figure your cals out for week long average rather than by the day??? I know most days I only get 4-5 hours sleep since I get disturbed easily and bf alternates working nights .....I know that doesn't help with the cravings and let your body heal but a person does what they can...
  • rose228822
    rose228822 Posts: 186 Member
    Hay farmer sounds like a very tough job! As a mother of an autistic teenage daughter (but only mentally about 2nd grade level) I am sometimes up all night and have gone quite some time without sleep thankfully things quiet down sometimes and I take advantage of this time to workout since it is a very good stress reliever and as for eating habits I make sure to take lots of healthy snacks that I can either keep in my car or at work and that way if I miss a meal I am covered and don't feel so sluggish:smile: And I prepare homemade meals on Sunday for my work week so I don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen during the week!
    Take care and good luck to you!
  • VivereDisce
    VivereDisce Posts: 35
    I work third shift, and they like to change my hours around a little bit so I don't always have consistent bedtimes or wakeup times. Plus, I change when I sleep based on what is going on for the day. Instead of meal times, I log into a 12a-6a, 6a-12pm, 12pm-6pm, 6pm-12a. If I am up all night, at midnight I log for the next day. I basically try to eat SOMETHING in every 6 hour period unless, obviously, I sleep from say 11a-6pm. If I know it is a day I will be awake for a lot of, I try to pick lower calorie stuff to eat, and plan it out a little ahead so I don't go over. If I know it is a day I will be sleeping for most of, I'll choose to indulge in some higher calorie stuff I don't normally include in my diet.

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