All nighters?

tiffanygil

I am a nurse and have to take call 1 week out of the month. Unfortunately I got called in unexpectedly 2 nights in a row for 11pm-7am. The first night Saturday, I was up for 22 hours total and only got approx 6 hours of sleep on Sunday before getting called back in for another 11pm-7am, and still had to work my regular scheduled shift today, 7am-3pm.

I won’t go to sleep tonight until around 8pm making my total stay up time around 31 hours. (If I go to sleep when I get home I will be up all night and worthless for tomorrow)

So here is where I need help…how do I adjust my cals? I am over my intake for the last 2 days but not from over indulgence just being up. Also I haven’t been able to work out because of this, and I would assume that I burned more than usual by not being asleep…What do you think?

Thanks any help is appreciated...

PureAndHealthy

Hmm... I'm not sure. Because lack of sleep makes your body run less efficiently, meaning your metabolism may slow/not utilize calories as well. I guess I would count a day as being from when you woke up to when you went to sleep? Or maybe log it as literal midnight to midnight, regardless of when you ate what meal... if that makes sense... hope you get some sleep soon! :yawn:

SHBoss1673

yeah, that's a tough one. Do the best you can, try to stay on some kind of a 24 hour clock, but just don't go too high at any one meal and you should be ok, as long as this isn't a regular thing that happens often, you should be ok.

Ashia1317

I used to work in a plant full time and had to this kind of schedule. 16 hours here, 12 hours there, call in at 7 pm and work to 11 am, etc. Just remember, your body needs rest but it also needs FUEL to keep moving over the long hours. Make the right decisions - instead of picking out of the vending machine, just try and prepare for this kind of happening. Keeping veggies bagged and "grabbable" or trail mix, nuts, etc helps. Watch your sugar intake - might help keep you motivated and awake, but will make you crash at some point.

Right now, watching calories may not be as important as trying to keep yourself motivated, awake and nourished to do these long hours you listed. You can watch your calories when you do get to rest or a regulated schedule.

squoozyq

Yikes! THat sounds so confusing you poor thing!

debnu1

When I was working nights, I am also a nurse, I would have the same kind of schedule. I was quite successful in switching my day at midnight--I would then have a lot of room after midnight so I didn't feel as though I was going over. It gave me more freedom. By staying up all night your body is going to crave carbohydrates like crazy--All I would want to eat are the sweets--So be prepared with whatever you need to fight the temptation.

:flowerforyou: