Advice from overnighters or anyone else who can help

KuroKitty

Hope I'm putting this in the right forum.
So I work overnights (9pm-6am) at a pet hotel and my night consists of running around the facility cleaning and setting up rooms for the new arrivals. I get a half hour break (usually depending on how much there is to do) so that's usually when I have my 'lunch.' My problem I run into is that when I get off work I'm pretty hungry but when I get home I usually feed my cats and then go to bed so I can be up at around 2 or 3pm so I can get some stuff done and spend some time with my boyfriend. Some times when I go to lay down I'm so hungry and my stomach hurts that I can't fall asleep.

I'm just not sure if I should eat breakfast before bed or if I should not do it and deal with the pain?

jamebb

You're already fighting your natural sleep cycle, so being so hungry that you can't sleep isn't healthy or beneficial. Do whatever you need in order to get as much sleep as possible.

I haven't done overnights since college and I was never really hungry when I got off shift, so YMMV. My advice its this: since your day is "off by twelve hours I would just follow a normal eating schedule - that is eat breakfast (1st meal) when you wake up in the afternoon, lunch (2nd meal) at work and dinner (third meal) when you get home from work in the morning. If you think that you will have trouble falling asleep with a full stomach maybe you could try eating your dinner/third meal before you leave work so it has a chance to start digesting before you try to sleep.

addieblue

I am working in a bar over the weekends and I come home around 6-7am so I think I have an idea how you feel. I understand that sometimes you can be really hungry. In the beginning when I started to work there I used to buy something from the bakery after work and I think this helped me to gain more weight what I am doing now (I am following a high protein/low carb diet) is to either not eat (if I don't feel that hungry) or eat something small which fits into my regime. If you really feel hungry every time maybe it is better to include this in and account for it in your daily calorie intake. I know it is not good to eat before sleeping but I don't see what else you can do (I don't consider starving an option). I hope that this helps somehow

wannakimmy

I too work third shift, 10 pm to 7 am I eat my breakfast when I get up at 8 pm, my lunch at about 3 am and then my dinner at about 8 am. I treat it like any other day, just off by 12 hours. I know how hard it is to get a good "days" sleep, It is super important though. I try to get 7 hours, consecutively, which isn't always easy. Most appointments aren't made for 3rd shift people lol In short, if you are hungry when you get home, eat. Just make sure you are logging every calorie, and stay within your daily goal.

kagevf

i work overnights and i eat breakfast before i go to bed. been doing this for 10yrs.
i also wake up at 2-3pm to get some stuff done.
i eat before i go to work at 7pm
eat at work for lunch
eat at home for breakfast before going to bed.

tummy is happy and i dont gain any weight.

popo312

I asked the same question essentially a few days ago. Short of it is it does not matter when you eat. As long as you are in a caloric deficit you will lose weight.

lacroyx

I'm just not sure if I should eat breakfast before bed or if I should not do it and deal with the pain?

I have been working nights for 4½ years, 5 days a week 11pm-7am though I didn't start changing my habits, losing fat, getting healthy and fit unitl almost 1 year after I started working the night shift. I found for me sleep is the #1 thing for success. I had to do a bit of trial and error to figure out what worked best for me. I found that if I went to bed within 2 hrs or less of eating something, my sleep would get interrupted.

I'd end up needing to go to the bathroom 2-3 hrs after I fell asleep, I'd be tired at work because I didn't sleep well and end up going over my calorie allowance because I'd need to be constantly eating to help me stay awake. For others though they find having something to eat before going to bed works best for them. If that helps you sleep better then do it. Ulitmately it's the calorie deficit that helps you lose weight.

tami101

I've been working overnight for about 7 years. I sleep better if I have eaten before going to bed. I also do not like to go to work on a full stomach so I eat light before work and light at work. My morning meal is usually the biggest meal of my day. This goes against what the "experts" say about eating before bed, but it works for me.

Unknown

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meganeileenmc

THIS IS MY NUMBER ONE PROBLEM! I have worked overnights for three years and I work 12 hour shifts. I am lucky that I only go through this 3 days a week though.I was constantly waking up with hunger pangs they prevented me from falling back asleep. I know we shouldn't eat before we go to sleep but lately I have been having a protein shake before bed which seriously tides me over and I have still been losing weight. Feel free to friend request me. We can help each .other out

KuroKitty

Thank you all this helps me a lot!

wdwmindy

There was a similar thread awhile back. A poster had added that he/she does not use the title of meals on his/her diary but uses time slots instead. I forget what exactly they were, something like 7am-10am, 10am-1pm, etc. I thought that was a great idea.

I work a combo of 3rd and 1st shifts (3-3rds and 2-1sts a week). I tend to stay on track better if I eat my meals during the day and if I need something on 3rd shift I just eat a light snack.

I find that sleep always wins over hunger, but maybe I'm weird lol.