7p-7a and exercise

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Aug 29, 2005

Hi there. I work the same shift. Either workout before going to work or workout on your days off. For me, it will be much easier when my kids go back to school next week. Good luck!

Hello everyone,
Okay here is my situation. I am a new grad (May 05) in a Cardiothoracic ICU working the 7p-7a shift. My schedule varies week to week, but always nights. I've been having trouble fitting exercise into my schedule. When I get home I'm ready for bed. I usally sleep from 8a-3p, leave for work 5:45p. I want to start hitting the weights at least 3 days a week and Cardio the other days. How do you ladies and gents fit exericse into your lives when you work the night shift with variable days on/off. Watching the CABG's come through our unit keeps me motivated...now it's just a matter of seeing what works for me. I was thinking about working out before going to sleep, but I'm worried it might just keep me up the rest of the day. Does working out after a night shift work for anyone? How about working out before going to work...does it make you tired the rest of the night. What about your days off...do you keep the same workout times? Thank you....
Vinny Van Goh

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 29, 2005

For me, going to Curves after shift works. If I do not do it then, I won't go.

Curves only takes 30 min. ...it's fast!

Gompers, BSN, RN · Aug 29, 2005

I'm one of those night shifters who doesn't go to bed right away - I sleep from 11am-5pm and work 7pm-7am. So I do work out right after work on the way home, because I'm still home by 9am and have a couple of hours to bathe and relax before sleeping. Definitely need time for a cool down period, otherwise I'm too wired for bed!

With you, since you go to bed right away and wake up several hours before work, it makes more sense to work out in the afternoon before getting ready for work. This way, you can work out every day, whether you have to work or not. So you can keep the same workout schedule - say cardio Mon-Wed-Fri and weights Tues-Thurs-Sat, and give yourself a rest on Sunday.

thomasgbsn · Aug 29, 2005

Hello everyone,
Okay here is my situation. I am a new grad (May 05) in a Cardiothoracic ICU working the 7p-7a shift. My schedule varies week to week, but always nights. I've been having trouble fitting exercise into my schedule. When I get home I'm ready for bed. I usally sleep from 8a-3p, leave for work 5:45p. I want to start hitting the weights at least 3 days a week and Cardio the other days. How do you ladies and gents fit exericse into your lives when you work the night shift with variable days on/off. Watching the CABG's come through our unit keeps me motivated...now it's just a matter of seeing what works for me. I was thinking about working out before going to sleep, but I'm worried it might just keep me up the rest of the day. Does working out after a night shift work for anyone? How about working out before going to work...does it make you tired the rest of the night. What about your days off...do you keep the same workout times? Thank you....
Vinny Van Goh

I would recommend you sleep prior to working out as you would only burn yourself out over the long haul. Furthermore, I would avoid eating 3-4 hours before end of shift as digestive system can have a break too. This will help you get to a deeper REM which will provide you with a higher energy level when you awake. Also, if possible, remove sugars, sat. fats and caffeine from your diet altogether. Caffeine oftentimes has a reverse effect causing one to be lethargic after the rush. I wouldn't focus on amount of time to get under your belt each day of work outs. Rather, focus on making changes in diet and stress relief methods such as meditation. The energy to work out will come. Just allow your body to get back to its natural state, eliminating most of the Western diet. I hope this helps.

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Aug 29, 2005

I don't work nights (I'm orienting right now on 7-3 & will soon switch over to 3-11 PM) but right now I work from 6:45 AM-3:15 PM, get home around 3:45 PM & exercise right away (I speed walk outside) for 45 min. I find if I don't work out as soon as I get home from work, that I'll just sit down & never get up cuz then I think about how tired I am! Hope this helps....good luck! :) And if you're too tired to workout then, I'd just exercise on your days off. You probably walk a ton at work too-I wear a pedometer when I go to work on my med/surg floor-just to see how far I walk every day while doing my job...I average 1.5-2 miles a day just doing my job :) How cool is that?

prmenrs, RN · Aug 30, 2005

One thing you can do IF (and that's a big if) you get a real break/lunch time, in which someone actually watches your pt.

Take a walk around [the inside of] the hospital--if there are stairs, use them. Some of the night nurses where I worked would run up the stairs from our unit on the 2nd floor to the 11th floor, then back down. They also used to have a routine of exercises they did w/the overbed tables! There probably wouldn't be room in most units to do that. Get a buddy if possible to do the stairs w/you.

pie123 · Aug 30, 2005

Hello everyone,
Okay here is my situation. I am a new grad (May 05) in a Cardiothoracic ICU working the 7p-7a shift. My schedule varies week to week, but always nights. I've been having trouble fitting exercise into my schedule. When I get home I'm ready for bed. I usally sleep from 8a-3p, leave for work 5:45p. I want to start hitting the weights at least 3 days a week and Cardio the other days. How do you ladies and gents fit exericse into your lives when you work the night shift with variable days on/off. Watching the CABG's come through our unit keeps me motivated...now it's just a matter of seeing what works for me. I was thinking about working out before going to sleep, but I'm worried it might just keep me up the rest of the day. Does working out after a night shift work for anyone? How about working out before going to work...does it make you tired the rest of the night. What about your days off...do you keep the same workout times? Thank you....
Vinny Van Goh

I am going to be working nightshift also. My plan is to try to work out in the mornings, once I get off work. We'll see how this goes. If I worked out on my days off, that would mean 4 days in a row of working out, and I like to have a day off in between each workout, something like: Sun., Tues., Thurs., Sat., etc. Plus, I would burn out with doing 4 days in a row. Good luck.

babynursewannab · Aug 30, 2005

Exact same scenario as me: 7p-7a and CVICU -- so lots of motivation.

After a couple of months getting used to the new sleep rhythm, I started hitting the gym in May at 8:30am and did that 4 times a week. I'd stay there an hour and then go home and crash. Yes. I did this even if I had a shift to wake up for at 4:30. It was tough at first but now I'm 25 pounds lighter for it. (translates as: "worth it")

Good luck, it gets easier once you start!

-Alyssa

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2005

How many days a week are you going to be working? On the days you work your 12 hour shifts it sounds like you won't have much if any kind of time to go to the gym. I'm sure you already spread out your weight training over the week anyway, don't you? You don't have to do your cardio every day unless you want to. Cardio four days a week on your days off sounds OK.

Some of the hospitals I've worked in over the years had a room of exercise equipment for the employees to use. I've noticed out here in California that some of the hospitals have programs going with local gyms. If there's an exercise room at the hospital you could hit it before going home after working a shift.

Personally, I prefer to go to the gym after getting up and before starting out the day, but that's just me.

pyxeduhst5282 · Sep 16, 2005

I'm working nights these days too...Anyway...I personally workout AFTER I sleep. By the time the 13th hour rolls around...I seriously am ready to fall asleep...to be honest, that 15 min drive home from work is usually the longest 15 mins of my life. I have to stay on my cell phone, and prop my head up with my arm against the window so that I don't start nodding off. Love the 12 hr shifts...but they really take a lot out of me. Don't risk it...get some sleep before working out....Re-ENERGIZE...you'lll have a better workout in the end!

control · Sep 16, 2005

When I worked on the floor, I used to go on my days off. Big difference between a 12 and an 8 though, definitely. 8 hour shifts are a breeze, timewise.

Now I can't afford to go to the gym anymore....very sad about that, after a year of going regularly. I'm thinking of biking to work daily. If you live close enough to your job you may want to consider that too. Hope you find your happy medium!

How many days a week are you going to be working? On the days you work your 12 hour shifts it sounds like you won't have much if any kind of time to go to the gym. I'm sure you already spread out your weight training over the week anyway, don't you? You don't have to do your cardio every day unless you want to. Cardio four days a week on your days off sounds OK.
Some of the hospitals I've worked in over the years had a room of exercise equipment for the employees to use. I've noticed out here in California that some of the hospitals have programs going with local gyms. If there's an exercise room at the hospital you could hit it before going home after working a shift.
Personally, I prefer to go to the gym after getting up and before starting out the day, but that's just me.