Night shift schedule?

jaycam, RN · Mar 1, 2017

Night shift is inherently unhealthy, did it for a few years and finally tapped out. No matter what people say you will never be 100%.

Actually, there is a subset of humanity that is genetically pre-dispositioned to being awake in nocturnal hours. There is plenty of research out there about it. If you are one of the people who either through conditioning or genetics, happens to be better off on day shift, that's great, but I happen to do better on nights. I would really hate giving up my 3 PM naps. I get cranky and irritable.

On a night shift, I still tend to prefer to sleep shifts, so I usually wake around noon, have a snack, go back to sleep. This allows for me, for example, to do things during the mid-day if needed. I usually get home, shower, have breakfast because breakfast for dinner, nap, snack, chores, errands, back to bed for another couple sleep cycles, then up in time for the roommate to be home, dinner, and off to work after being social.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 1, 2017

So I am new to night shift.
I was just wondering on how do you guys schedule your shift.
In the normal person in the morning (lol), you eat breakfast somewhere from 5am-8am, lunch between 11am-1pm, and dinner between 5pm-8pm.
So how do you plan you meal on a 12hour nights shift. At least in the most "ideal" and safest way.
Since you will be asleep in the morning around (8a-5pm example), when do you eat your breakfast, etc.? I know you can't have lunch because technically you're asleep.
I just don't want to have an unhealthy lifestyle especially when nights are very prone to it.
Do you eat dinner or breakfast before starting your shift?
I am only concerned because skipping meals or irregular eating habits tend to make me eat more when I see food and make me crave more.

I've worked night shift for years. For breakfast, I eat dinner with my husband at 5 pm or so, before I go to work -- the biggest meal of the "day." It's healthier to eat your heaviest meal early in the day so you have a chance to burn off those calories. We have normal "dinner" food.

For "lunch" at 0100 or 0200 or so, I eat leftovers from dinner a day or two ago. Or sometimes we order out. (Night shift is famous for ordering out!)

I eat cereal, a bagel or some other "breakfast" food for "dinner" before I go to bed. (Since my husband retired, he's been making me omelets, which is wonderful but is contributing to my waistline.) I eat with my husband and we chat about my night, his plans for the day or the latest Trump offense, and then I go take a shower and go to bed. If I don't eat before I go to sleep, I wake up hungry after too little sleep. Then I can't go BACK to sleep.

Hope this helps.

3ringnursing, BSN · Mar 1, 2017

My husband saved my dinner from the night before - I would get home around 0730-0800 and eat my dinner with my husband and son while they ate breakfast. I might have a beer or a glass of wine, shower then go to bed. I rarely ate breakfast type foods back then unless I was actually off and awake that day. I always wanted a sausage egg biscuit on my way to work, but none of the fast food places served breakfast foods in the drive thru 20+ years ago at 2330. Just make sure you eat small snacks of healthy type foods every couple of hours if you can't have meals TID as usual - that way you keep your BG up and don't become ravenous which makes even vending machine yuck look tasty. Oh, and stay hydrated - at least 32 oz of water a day, so you don't mistake dehydration for hunger.

RLJS · Mar 1, 2017

I eat dinner around 4pm before I go to work; breakfast when I get home from work at 8am; and a healthy snack (yogurt, fruit, nuts) on the run at work because I rarely get a break. I also try to stay hydrated.

Summer2016 · Mar 1, 2017

Dinner between 5:30-6:00PM with the hubby. Light snack at work between 1:00-2:00AM. May consist of a sandwich, salad, piece of fruit or a fruit smoothie. When I began nights, I would eat my dinner at this time and gained weight, so I had to cut back. Breakfast 8:30AM. Then bed at 10:00AM. Of course, it changes when I'm off

Ndy-RN · Mar 1, 2017

True. I gained weight and have been yoyoing even when I rarely eat. I am not the same. But I have to work what works for my life now.

gemmi999 · Mar 1, 2017

I'm not going to advise you differently from above because it's what i do. Dinner before work, snack at work, toast/fruit and water in AM. One thing I've found is that oatmeal is the perfect midday meal. I love that it has a lot of fiber, not to much added sugar and has protein, too! It keeps me feeling good and I can stash oatmeal in my locker at work and not have to worry about what to bring. :)

johndough · Mar 1, 2017

Yes, it is!

johndough · Mar 1, 2017

Thank you everybody. Pretty consistent answers. I just know my body hates changing routine. When it senses change, it craves more food, which is a big no no health wise.

Tameric · Mar 2, 2017

I used to work nights, both 8hr and 12 hr and I'd bring dinner to eat between 1am and 3am. When getting home about 7:45am, I'd eat a small breakfast, work outside, yardwork, go for my walk or aerobics, then to bed by noon. Up at 5:30pm and off to work, no meal. Break around 10pm so brought light snack, I didn't sleep more than 5-6 hrs, all I needed then. Some need at least 10hrs sleep so it all depends on the person.

Isakolistic · Mar 2, 2017

I've been working both 8 and 12 hour night shifts for the past year. To be honest, I don't really have a set eating schedule; I know this may not work for many people, but I just eat when I get hungry. When I have 8 hour shifts, it's not too crazy; I'll eat before I head to work (usually around 8-9pm), at work (usually around 2-3am), and either when I get home (around 8am) or when I wake up the next day (around 3-4pm). 12 hour shifts get a little tricky, so I sometimes will only get two larger meals those days/nights and will snack when I get hungry.

orangepink, NP · Mar 2, 2017

I wake up at 5pm. Have huge dinner, shower, pray, get dress.

I dont eat a huge meal during night shift so I have a protein bar or shake around 11-12mn. Then if I'm still hungry, popcorn or chips.

Breakfast is at 6-7am with toast or plain yogurt.