How do you create functional stress coping?

fightingautism

I'm an oncology nurse & work long hours, 7am-8pm. I'm about to start my 4-in-a-row. I'm realizing that my trigger time for food is near/after work. The more stressful my day, the more I tend to make negative choices with my diet. I think I don't even realize I'm feeling stress/sadness/anger at the end of a shift, I just feel an overwhelming need to eat something bad for me. I think it's a long-held coping mechanism that started over 30 yrs ago (when I was a child) to deal with my emotions.

I'm asking myself what functional ways I can deal with these unrecognized feelings to stop the desire to turn to unhealthy eating. I'm thinking about trying to exercise when i get home, but I am physically exhausted from 13 hrs on my feet. Still, maybe 30 minutes of hard-core recumbent biking or some isometric exercises can burn off the bad hormones floating. I've also thought about trying to have some prayer time, maybe I need a spiritual reset. Listening to some music is another thought. Trying to take a walk with my kids isn't an option now because of the days getting shorter.

So, what are other ideas of functional ways to overcome dysfunctional patterns? I need to be able to do it after I leave work, but before I've walked in the door & to the kitchen to ensure I'm in complete control. TIA.