Night shift exercise routine?

Eru IlÃºvatar · Apr 18, 2016

Maybe do 30 min to 1hr before or after your shift... Or do a pre-shift and an after shift workout if you wanna do a bit more hardcore. It will jumpstart your shift and keep you awake, and later on it will help cool off from your shift and get you calm into bed.

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Apr 18, 2016

4 to 5 shifts each week with on call and you're still standing? I bow to you. *bows*

I dunno if this would work for you, but here's how I fit in some exercise: if I am watching TV, I am probably doing squats, planks, crunches, push ups, whatever. Just some exercises through the first 30 minutes or so of whatever show or movie I'm watching. Before work, nights off, whatever. It's easy now that I have myself trained.

I also go running a couple of nights a week. Yes, nights. I have some night/evening shift friends who go with me to a high school track and we do some laps before shifts or on nights off. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done!

JVoEDrn · Apr 18, 2016

I like the idea of working at night and while watching tv! That timing seems doable too...

caliotter3 · Apr 18, 2016

I would get home from work in the am, change into sweats and walk around the neighborhood. Felt great when I was doing this every day.

Davey Do · Apr 18, 2016

Good for you, JVoEDrn, for taking more identifying the need to take more control over your health and wellbeing!

I realized that making my workout routine part of my regular daily routine was the way to go. I workout before every shift with weights. No "power lifting", just something to warm up my joints and muscles. This really comes in handy if I have to immediately deal with Patient transfers and/or behaviors when I come on shift.

I do an aerobic workout, usually a bicycle ride, every morning after getting home from my MN shift. During bad weather, I use my elliptical. This allows me to wind down and ready myself for any other physical work I may want to do.

I eat primarily what I bring into work from home, consisting of a lot of vegetables and fruits like kale, carrots, apples, bananas, oranges, and raisins. Meats are chicken and fish. I have found that I feel better after eating nutritious snacks versus those ubiquitous empty calorie snacks.

Good luck to you in your endeavor, JVoEDrn!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2016

I worked 12-hour night shifts for six years...my shift would end at 6:30am, and I'd be at the 24-hour health club exercising at 7:00am. It was a good form of stress relief, weight control, and healthfulness.

JVoEDrn · Apr 18, 2016

Thank you all for your encouragement and ideas!!! I really think working out after work and right before is the way to go. Meal prepping meals that will curb my hunger and keep me away from those deadly delicious treats!!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2016

Moved to the Health & Stress Management forum for more replies.

Maevish, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2016

Hello all!
Working nightshift and in desperate need of a restart on my body. Over the last few months I have been thoroughly irresponsible with my health. And I should know better. I'm a nurse. In the ER. What in the world is wrong with me?
Actually, no. I know what's wrong with me! It's my coworkers! And their damned treats. Ugh. It's my fault. I know that but now, I'm ready to kick start my health again---and scared. I don't want to die because of my lifestyle.
Tomorrow begins day one. I am starting a cleanse. And then I plan on continue with the clean eating. I have that planned. What I DONT have planned is the exercise. So first I have to change my logic...
I swear up and down that I don't need to work out because I do enough physically at work... But that sounds like an excuse, and this new kickstart im doing, doesn't do excuses.
However for the life of me I cannot figure out when to work out. I mean, I have an idea, but really just want input.
Currently I work a ridiculous amount. 4-5 shifts Q. 6 day period.
Then I do on call SANE.
So I need to decrease my days at work. Anyways... This is turning into a mess in my head.
Sigh.
When do YOU workout nightshifter??

I just finished a short, week long juice cleanse and feel LOADS better! The first day or so is kind of hard, but after that, I swear, it's like I'm high. I don't hit that wall between 0200-0500 and have energy to burn.

I like to work out after work if my feet aren't sore/too tired, but if I want to make sure it gets done, I'll go when I wake up in the afternoon. It just depends on the day though.

xo

Maevish, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2016

I worked 12-hour night shifts for six years...my shift would end at 6:30am, and I'd be at the 24-hour health club exercising at 7:00am. It was a good form of stress relief, weight control, and healthfulness.

I'm SO jealous I don't have a 24 hour fitness near me anymore! That was a godsend for nightshifters. Now, I have a fancy gym for a little over 100/mo that's open for around 10 hours, but is close to me, and another one that's about 60/mo and open a little longer, but still only until 2300 (plus it's 25-30 minutes away).

Trying to decide which is the better deal.

xo

JerseyTomatoMDCrab, BSN · May 2, 2016

When I started on night shift a few years ago, I cancelled my gym membership because they weren't open 24 hours and I never went. That's crucial for a night shifter! I started working out after my overnight shifts. Barre classes, a run, even a hike if it was nice out. It was tough but as long as I wasn't working the next night I was ok. I also would do more intense workouts on my nights off.

It's not easy, I will give you that. Working night shift is HAVOC on your body. You can do it, though! Lots of planning and thinking ahead. You can do it!