Can't sleep. Ever. And I'm getting fat.

allnurses Guide · Jul 18, 2011

thyroid check?

Exactly what I was thinking.

I am hypothyroid and I good days and bad days.

Could also just be stress, of course.

Anyway, how about just walking?

Go find some place pretty and go!

I also don't drive anywhere if I can walk.

I take stairs over elevators whenever I can.

I also park farther out in any parking lot.

In other words, I find ways to sneak in extra walking.

You may not feel like it, but looking in the mirror always gets me moving!

But I think the thyroid check is a good idea :)

hilzaberry · Jul 18, 2011

I've been rotating 50/50 for 1 1/2 years at my current job, and before that I also did a combination of day/night shifts. I can function well at work, but I just can't sleep. I'm definitely more awake at night and drag on the mornings I have to be up early for a day shift, but I'm also cranky either way. I've tried melatonin and Benadryl, and that's pretty much the extent of what I can take. My memory is starting to take a hit from the chronic sleep deprivation. I'm starting a new job on the 9p-9a shift, and I'm a little nervous my insomnia will get completely out of control. I'm also getting so fat! I've gained 25 lbs since September and I haven't changed my eating habits (1200-1500 calories/day), though I'm usually too tired for any meaningful exercise. I can feel my body begging me to make some lifestyle changes, but it's really hard for me to fight the fatigue. In my very spare time the last thing I want to do is drag myself to the gym. I'm hoping once I get on an established shift I'll start to feel better, but I'm looking at my body and thinking yikes, I can't stretch out much further.

I had major issues when I worked as an EMT and I assume that I'll start having the same issues once I finish nursing school as well. In regards to weight I found that one of my main issues was not the fact that I wasn't able to get out and exercise but rather that the only food I was able to get my hands on while I was at work was the junk that comes out of vending machines, fast food drive through windows, or the hospital cafeterias. You also have to look at what kind of foods make up the calories your eating because that can make a major difference...One thing that made a change for me was when I took a co-workers advice and bought some beef jerky and trail mix to munch on in my locker. The iron in the jerky really perked up by system and bounced up my iron and the mix of peanuts and chocolate in the trail mix was just the right balance of sugar and proteins to keep my body ticking all day! I also axed every drink from my diet apart from water, ice tea, and coffee/coffee items...NO FAKE SUGAR USE THE REAL STUFF!! I also snagged some of the Gluten Free muffins from the cafeteria rather than the normal ones because they are much healthier and lighter :)

Off the clock I gave up on heavy exercise and took up yoga and Bikram because it was not only good exercise but awesome for relaxing! I'd also pick a TV show to become addicted to and start watching the seasons via DVD as a form of relaxation after work to get away...The Tutors was epic. With the sleeping issue, I kept away from the sleeping meds mixed with other medications (NyQuil etc) because they would not only dry out my nose really badly but SOMEHOW it made them work less effectively when I DID get a cold and needed them to survive O_o I went an saw a sleeping doctor and he said that I could take up to 4 50mg pills of over the counter Unisom (max in 24hrs is 300mgs). I'm 5'11 and 230 and 4 pills with a sleeping mask knocks me out cold so don't underestimate...More info here. http://www.drugs.com/mtm/unisom-sleepgels-maximum-strength.html

Oh and if you EVER need an upper us EMTs had this little formula called "the 911 nap" You take 6 shots of expresso with 3 pills of Excedrin and follow it with a 10 min nap. You'll be up and running for at least the next 15 hours...It's like magic

Best of luck!!!

breezy7, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

Find buddies on the same schedule as you. Work out together. I'm still in nursing school, and I work 5 nights a week (7PM - 4AM at a bar), so I do feel your pain to some extent. School is no picnic on top of shifts like these. If you find folks who are living the same schedule, it can be helpful. I find that exercise and a protein-based diet (think primal, paleo diet - but not necessarily so extreme. Stay away from processed foods COMPLETELY) really helps me have energy and be able to sleep on schedule. Strength training, especially, is an amazing start to the day. 20 minutes and you're all set.

breezy7, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

I also snagged some of the Gluten Free muffins from the cafeteria rather than the normal ones because they are much healthier and lighter :)

Just as a quick fyi (even though it's pretty off topic) GF baked goods are generally higher in fat and calories than muffins baked with whole wheat. They're also quite a bit denser. I have Celiac and have been on a gluten-free diet for a while now, and even I won't touch them, because oftentimes a tooon of sat and even trans fats and odd flours are added in order to "fake" the taste of wheat. It won't give you any energy, it'll just slow you down if you don't need to be eating GF. :)

hilzaberry · Jul 18, 2011

Just as a quick fyi (even though it's pretty off topic) GF baked goods are generally higher in fat and calories than muffins baked with whole wheat. They're also quite a bit denser. I have Celiac and have been on a gluten-free diet for a while now, and even I won't touch them, because oftentimes a tooon of sat and even trans fats and odd flours are added in order to "fake" the taste of wheat. It won't give you any energy, it'll just slow you down if you don't need to be eating GF. :)

I'm GF too...the muffins may be more calories but they are made with healthier products. The normal gross muffins you can find at the hospital cafeteria are just made with crappy white flour that's filled with empty calories and leaves you hungry...My friends have all switched to GF ones because they feel fuller for longer and don't need to eat as much :)

breezy7, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

I'm GF too...the muffins may be more calories but they are made with healthier products. The normal gross muffins you can find at the hospital cafeteria are just made with crappy white flour that's filled with empty calories and leaves you hungry...My friends have all switched to GF ones because they feel fuller for longer and don't need to eat as much :)

I guess it just depends on who makes them! :) I live in an area that has a lot of healthier eateries, so the regular muffins have better grains that I wish I could still eat! But I definitely agree that white flour is satan! Hahah

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

Yikes..that 911 concoction sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen. Thats a lota caffeine.

hilzaberry · Jul 18, 2011

Yikes..that 911 concoction sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen. Thats a lota caffeine.

Hey when your an EMT working a 72 hour shift during prom season with a call out every 1/2 hour it's either that or an Epi-Pen I actually perfected the skill of sleeping in a chair balanced on two legs tipped against a wall for a decent length of time to avoid sleeping on the floor of nasty station break rooms. :lol2: You'd be amazed how funky a person will sleep when they are THAT tired...

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2011

I rotate and it is rough on all aspects of my life. I prefer nights, but right now there aren't any all night shift openings. The lack of exercise is really bad. I do abut 4 twelve hour shifts a week. Everyone here knows the first "night off" you sleep most of the day away. At least I do. There aren't any 24 hour gyms located near me. The closest is 1.5hrs away !!!!!!! ahhhh. Then there aren't any big chain gyms either with convinent hours. I try to walk/run outside when the weather and lightening outside permits. I don't want to walk on the side of the road when I am wide awake at 3am. I am thinking of getting some type of at home exercise machiene.

Katie82, RN · Jul 18, 2011

Have you had a sleep study. While your problem is most likely linked to your work schedule, you may also have other issues at play. Sleep deprevation often leads to critical physical problems, one of which is thyroid imbalance (the weight gain??). Prolonged sleep deprevation can lead to chronic problems like weight gain, cardiac problems, depression and other behavioral issues. A sleep study is a good place to start, could save you some problems in the future.

NeoPediRN · Jul 18, 2011

Thanks for the replies and advice everyone! I recently had a thyroid panel that was WNL. I actually went to a physician about a sleep study and he told me that he couldn't do a study until I was off a rotating schedule because it would come out abnormal no matter what. I made an appointment for Thursday and hopefully I'll get some answers then. I really appreciate the exercise tips, will look into a 24 hour gym and Bikram yoga!

hilzaberry · Jul 18, 2011

I rotate and it is rough on all aspects of my life. I prefer nights, but right now there aren't any all night shift openings. The lack of exercise is really bad. I do abut 4 twelve hour shifts a week. Everyone here knows the first "night off" you sleep most of the day away. At least I do. There aren't any 24 hour gyms located near me. The closest is 1.5hrs away !!!!!!! ahhhh. Then there aren't any big chain gyms either with convinent hours. I try to walk/run outside when the weather and lightening outside permits. I don't want to walk on the side of the road when I am wide awake at 3am. I am thinking of getting some type of at home exercise machiene.

Yoga dude...trust me you have NO idea how healthy you'll feel both inside and out. Now you can't just get a mat and go to town right off the bat, you have to have someone really teach you the right ways to shut yourself off otherwise it just won't work right (sounds dumb but its true). I usually get some Arvo Part on the Ipod with some candles and go to town ^. ^