Tips from others who work overnights?

BrianaDuBois
BrianaDuBois Posts: 48 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I work overnights in emergency medicine, so I don't have a typical sleep schedule. On the first day of my week, I'll wake up in the morning as if it were a normal day, then I just head to work around 9pm. Essentially I'll pull an all-nighter. I do this twice a week.
The problem is, when I'm awake for that long, I find myself wanting to eat more, especially if we happen to hit a slow point in the night.
Any tips for combating this? I try to pack as many low-calorie snacks as I can, but I still end up going over my calories those nights.
Thanks!

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Are there days where you make up that sleep deficit?

    If I were you, I'd look at your weekly calorie goal. Plan to eat more on days when you are awake for more hours and less on days where you aren't awake as many hours.
  • BrianaDuBois
    BrianaDuBois Posts: 48 Member
    I don't make up the sleep deficits since I don't sleep during the day all that well and on my days off I like to be out doing things.
    Using for higher calories on those days are what I've been doing unintentionally then reducing other days out of guilt, though you do make a very good point there. Thanks for the tip!
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  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    I used to work 12 hour shifts in IT. Midnight to noon. I blacked out my bedroom windows with aluminum foil to get solid sleep from noon to about 7 every day, and would generally go running on my lunch break (at 6:00 AM) to get my exercise in. I took dozens of small meals with me everywhere and planned to eat about 300 calories every 4 hours or so... Back when I was eating 1200 calories a day when I dieted. >_< I've never been smaller. Too small. You may need to plan for more like 400-500 calories every 4 hours, depending on your size and activity level.

    I had a lot of cans of baked beans, string cheese, boiled eggs, and peanut butter or ham and cheese sandwiches in my pack. It's not the only way to make it work, but it worked really well for me.
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  • BrianaDuBois
    BrianaDuBois Posts: 48 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Sleep was the worst working overnights. When I would get out at 8am, I would go to sleep around 10am and wake up at 2pm. When I worked till 6am I would be sleeping by 7am and wake up at 11am. It sucked.

    It absolutely does suck sometimes (holidays!). I have a similar schedule to what you had. I think I get a bit more sleep though. Not sure how you lived on that!
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  • RNChristie33
    RNChristie33 Posts: 144 Member
    I struggle with this as well, but what I try to do is eat less during the day, and get in a good workout before work in order to earn back some of those calories for through the night. My first night back to work I'm usually eating 200-300 more calories than I do the rest of the week. It's tough. Bored at work = hungry Christie.

    The idea of taking those calories out of other days to even it out seems like a pretty solid idea to me!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited May 2015
    Nope, I don't have tips about food, because lack of sleep is altering your brain's glucose metabolism and it needs moar carbs (or just food but probably carbs) to function. I think you should give your brain what it needs if you're going to use it in the course of carrying out life and death responsibilities towards other people.

    I think you should try to establish a regular sleep/wake schedule so that you're not perpetually jet lagged.

    I worked a late shift (not overnight) and it was awful in lots of ways, but I just had to give in to that schedule eventually, for my health.
  • SlimBride2Be
    SlimBride2Be Posts: 315 Member
    When I have done these I have treated the day like a normal day but saved about 200 cals for snacks like jerky in the night. Then powered through and eaten a big meal after my sleep after work.
  • yangt41
    yangt41 Posts: 33 Member
    edited May 2015
    I work over nights also. I try to push my meals back later to allow me to eat my dinner and snack during my shift to keep me from mindlessly grazing on high calorie snacks. I usually work 10pm - 6am five nights a week. Get home by 6:30am at the latest and can't fall asleep until 8am and then be up by 2pm. Have "breakfast" at 2:30-3ish. Do whatever I need to do. Have my snack at 6pm. Take a short nap before heading to work. Be up by 9pm to pack my dinner, have "lunch" and head to work. I usually have "dinner" at around 2am. Finish off my shift with a snack at 5am. Get off work at 6am. And then it repeats for me. I find that if i follow this routine then I'm less likely to stuff my face at work. Not an ideal routine but I have to make it work somehow!

    Just one of my tips to not over eat while working overnight! Try creating a routine and pack your healthy snacks and meals to work. I also have a set of dumbells at work that i pull out whenever the night goes by slow and I need something to do. Sorry if I wasn't of any help!
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
    I tracked days as starting about 6ish at night to about 10 the next morning and brought veggie type things as snacks that i could eat a lot of. But then I'm an odd duck who likes raw carrots with nothing on em and am obsessed with oranges and watermelon and the like.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    I also work overnights (ems) in a 911 system. There are times where I literally will shove food in my mouth while we are heading to a call. I work 12 hour over nights with either a 6pm or 9pm start time. My advice is bring food with you. I pack a cooler of food and drinks. I bring a main meal but also snacks that can be quickly eaten on the go. I track from midnight to midnight so all of days are consistent.
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