Shift Work [disorder?]

xsmilexforxmex

Anyone that has in the past or currently works shift work - Have you ever had the issue of not being hungry during your shift. I have been, over the last week or so, eating more junk foods because I have noticed that during my shift I am not hungry and want to eat closer to my goal... It's unusual to me but I've only been on nights for about a month and due to job requirements my sleep schedule has been off pretty bad. I don't like the feeling of being as tired as I have been (relying on Redbull for energy) but I also don't have the stomach for eating if I'm not hungry and I want to keep working out... What have you done to help combat the exhaustion or fix your internal schedule? Thanks

christa279

I worked shift work for 9 years. I think I ate during those shifts more to keep myself awake than anything. It takes a little while for your body to adjust.

I never had any success with fighting the exhaustion, but I was also later diagnosed with a sleep disorder and it was advised that I stop shift work. Many of my co-workers, that were able to get past the exhaustion issues, said that being able to keep the same schedule (even on days off) helped. It was too hard on their bodies to switch their sleep schedules back and forth. If you have a hard time sleeping during the day, get some room darkening (also called blackout) curtains.

LloydJensen

I found I tended to want to eat more snack like foods on the overnight shifts. The day and evening shifts I can usually fit in a regular meal schedule but on nights I have moved my "breakfast" meal towards the end of the shift and have a "supper" meal towards the beginning since I started tracking my meals. I also stay away from heavy meals. Lots of yogurt, whole grain stuff and veggies. Going on 34 years of shift work now and I've always been able to sleep but it does take planning.

xsmilexforxmex

Alright! Thanks

maQmIgh

Im actually working right now :laugh: 18:00-06:00 :yawn: (currently 03:15)

I find im not hungry on nights but I do get nautious about 3am

I set my diary up in MFP for the whole of my shifts before Ive even worked them when Im on nights...

I set myself a grapefruit and low fat yougurt for breakfast (to eat anywhere between 02:30 and 03:00)
and veg for munching on at work (Cucumber, Tomaoes, Carrots) Which I try to stop eating by 22:00 (this way I can try to keep my bodys eating pattern from screwwing up too much (Pretend that the 5 hours im not eating in, I might be sleeping as per a norm for example)

Then what ever calories I have left in my 'basket' is where i choose what to eat for lunch (if im hungry)

If im not hungry then i skip the meal for lunch (But I definitely make sure I eat the breakfast and the dinner - This way, im less likely to binge on the 24hrs open McDonalds 2 mins walk from work)

:drinker:

Snooozie

I've been doing all three rotating shifts (days, evenings and nites) for almost 30 years and still struggle during nights... I do 7 night shifts in a row and like a poster above, find that I do better with more "snack type" healthy foods, especially the first couple of shifts..then I move on to more of a "breakfast" when I get up in the evening, and lunch and dinner thru the night.. but it's hard to face tuna at 3am sometimes lol . logging my food that first night of midnights threw me for a loop when I first came here, because I logged everything I ate from the time I got up at 7am Monday morning, thru the day and then carried on thru the night as well.... I think I racked up about 3500 calories the first "day" I was on nights :bigsmile:

And between the joys of menopause and 30 years of shift work; sleeping is still a challenge, and when you're tired and your internal clock is messed up and you can't sleep.... food can often be a temptress).

However, being on MFP and learning to eat healthy and move my parts, has helped immensely. I still struggle on nights sometimes; broccoli and I just cannot be friends at 4am some days; but I don't beat myself up when I go for a toasted English muffin and peanut butter instead anymore.. as long as it fits into my macros I make it work for my life.. hang in there and good luck!

dakotababy

AHH i absolutely loved doing night shifts/shift work. Working monday-friday is very different from what I am used to, and I do plan to go back to shift work. TYPICALLY...I do not eat during my 8 hour shifts. I will eat around them.

Ex -

Morning shift (7am-3pm)...I will have a breakfast. Eat a light snack when I get home and then make supper
Afternoon 12-9pm - Same thing as above (minus the snack)
Supper 3pm-11pm...I will eat lunch before work, supper after work.
Over night 11pm-7am - I will eat supper, nap before work, get up and get ready. I will eat breakfast when I get home and then SLEEP!

It takes adjusting for sure...and everyone has to find what works for them. Sometimes bringing an apple or carrots/dip is a good option...I just find that I do not need to eat within the 8 hour time frame that I am at work.

lizwizCYLS

I've been working straight midnights (19:00 -> 07:00) since August of 1989 (25 years this summer) & have flipped my schedule by 12 hours....my breakfast is 19:00 hrs (7 pm); my lunch is midnight & my supper is 09:30 hrs (9:30 am) & my sleep is usually 10:30 am 'til 17:30 (5:30 pm) ->18:00 hrs (6 pm) so I'm still getting 7 hours sleep....I always try to stay with that pattern even on my days off but if I do have family or recreational activities that interfere I find it's best to 'stay up past my bedtime' & if possible get a late start for that next shift or cut out the goofing off the next day & pull 08:00 hrs (8 am) to 18:00 hrs (6 pm) for a 10 hour catch up....works for me just to be opposite to dayshift while as much as possible retaining the dayshift pattern & sequence of activities

missiontofitness

I haven't done any overnight shifts, but I have worked some jobs with insane hours. One of my worst was 18 hour days four times a week; start at 6AM, ending around 11PM-midnight that day. At least 1-2 times a week I would eat unhealthier options, because I was so starved from calories from working all day, and those were the easiest options.

I would say that your best bet is to eat anyways. Log during the day, and bring snacks with you to work; maybe fruits or crackers to help keep your calories close to your goals. Keep items you know may tempt you out of the house/workplace, if you can. If you make a routine for yourself, it may become easier for you to get back on track, and get some balance between work and your goals.

I now work a more normal workday (plus full time grad school, oh joy!) and I've definitely found that keeping myself on a schedule has helped me whittle down the days where I do have trouble eating.

xsmilexforxmex

Thanks for all the input - it's nice to know I'm not totally screwed up here. My job goes back and forth, 3on/3off, and it's 12 hours shifts (1845-0645) that can run long sometimes. I typically try to keep to the schedule as a reverse of a day schedule - meaning I eat around 1900, 0000, and 0500 ~>Give or take. BUT lately I've had to come in during the day several times... staying at work as late as 1100... on these day I feel like I have to eat something else, because I'll be drained and hungry, which usually ends up being fast food since I feel I lack the time to cook. I think these days may have screwed my clock up because over the past few days I slept from 1200-1930, woke up, ate and realized I didn't have to work, went back to bed until 2300 because I could barely keep my eyes open. When I woke up I wasn't hungry again until around 5. Then today I went to sleep around 0830, woke up at 1230ish and couldn't fall back to sleep. This type of sleep pattern has been going on for about 2 weeks now and it's just a bit frustrating. More responsibility keeping me stressed I suppose but in the past I feel like I haven't had this much trouble adjusting - even when I did stay up during the day.

lizwizCYLS

NEVER Red Bull....if you MUST have a boost (& who doesn't sometimes) I use only 5hr Energy (which has low caffiene & B vitamins with ginseng) OR Emergen-C (which has vitamins, electrolites & antioxidents) OR Rhodiola 500mg but other than that it sounds like you've got a solid plan....1 thing I forgot to mention was that I sometimes have to use Herbal Supplements to get to sleep &/or stay asleep....I cannot take Valerian (it's very psycoactive for me & causes very disturbing daymares) however the natural factors Tranquil Sleep caplets with enteric coating do not upset my stomach & not only let me drift off within 20 minutes but I wake up refreshed & with no dough headed groggy after effects
When I am also pulling 15-18 hr shifts I've found snacking MUST BE protein or I'm off on a binge of carbs....1 of the best for me is 23 almonds (the RDA for that item) which keeps me out of my favourite high unhealthy fat cheese....garlic hummis on celery works too or even just a big spoonful of natural unsalted nut butter (I like cashew)

cafwinjacks

I'm a nurse so shift work is all I know.
I force myself to eat well throughout my shift. However on a day shift (12 hours) I have my 3 meals but still feel the need to eat when I get home. I have tried saving my last meal for at home but still ended up eating at work.
Night shifts vary sometimes I am not hungry and don't eat other times I really binge.
Shift work not helpful with weight loss

hsnider29

I work two 12 hour shifts at night and one 12 hour day per week. My schedule is so messed up. I also have two kids so I have to go back to a day schedule on my days off. I have been doing this for about four years and I have found that I just have to stick to a normal eating schedule. I don't eat much during my shift and try to pick healthy snacks. I log them for whatever day I am on and then when I get home I eat something. I have a normal dinner with my family and head back in for my second shift.

Working nights is very hard and I tend to crave carbs when I am tired. Sleeping during the day has gotten easier for me but I don't sleep as soundly.

lacroyx

It's difficult but not impossible. It took a bit of trial and error for me but I found eating once a day works the best for me. I get sick if I go workout within 2 hrs of eating something and also my sleep gets messed up as well.

greytniki

I worked shift work for 24 years before I got a new job and normal schedule :-) I don't miss those days. Number one reason for me that I would have eating issues (lack of hunger/sick to stomach) was when I didn't get enough sleep. I learned early on in my shift work life that whatever shift I was on I had to make it my normal life. No trying to burn candles on both ends. That meant I adjusted meal times to coincide with my sleep/work/off schedule. On my days off I stuck to the same schedule, no exceptions. No trying to stay up 24 hours on your day off so you could be "normal". Your life isn't normal. Make a new normal. So when I worked mids that meant my sleep schedule was 8:00 am-3:00PM I got up and ate "breakfast", then my "life" was from 3:30-10PM. In there somewhere I had my "lunch" which I always made more like a dinner. Then during my shift 11p-7a I had a meal more like lunch. I kept this schedule even on my days off. Consistency and good sleep is essential for not only being healthy but for weight loss. Find your new normal.