How To Stay Healthy Working Overnights

Overnights are not for everyone, and most people wouldn't choose to work this shift, but when I was offered a full-time position, I couldn't refuse. Going into this I wanted to be sure that I could still maintain my healthy lifestyle, so I did as much research as I could and this is what I came up with...

Catching Some ZZZ's

The First thing to take care of on overnights is your sleep. The most important trick to sleeping during the day is complete darkness. Even the smallest amount of light can cause you to wake up, making it harder to get the rest that you need. Try to set your schedule to sleep the same amount of time that you would at night. Sleep is the most important part of recovery. If you don't nip this in the bud now, it could impact your metabolism and create a hormonal condition that will cause your fat cells to be resistant to shrinking. To help on those days that you're waking too early it is recommended that you take a 20 - 30 minute nap and on your days off a 90 minute nap can be the equivalent of getting eight hours of sleep.

Meal planning 101

The Graveyard shift can destroy a person's diet if they're not careful. Eating schedules are a mess because you're no longer sharing meals with friends or loved ones. Plan to eat the same way you would working day shift. Have your breakfast 1 hour after waking, and lunch 4 - 5 hours after that. I prefer my larger meal for lunch (before leaving for work), this way I only have to worry about my snack and shake during my shift. Don't forget small healthy snacks are very important between meals. They can help maintain energy levels and lesson the need for larger meals throughout the evening. Spread out your meals and snacks so that you're less likely to overeat.  One snack should be a couple hours after breakfast and another one after lunch. Try to not snack after your last meal if you wish to maintain or release weight. 

Watch Out For Caffeine

I'm going to admit that this was my biggest mistake... I thought that I needed caffeine to keep me going throughout the night, however this is false. You will only receive a short amount of energy before you crash, which can then lead to more caffeine or even worse snacking. There were studies done that showed caffeine can stay in your system for at least 6 hours, depending on how much you drink. The more caffeine you ingest the harder it will be to get to sleep when bedtime rolls around. This can cause sleep deprivation which can also lead to weight gain. Over doing it can result in an increased heart rate, gastrointestinal irritation, muscle twitching and insomnia. If you feel like you're lacking energy, walk around and get your circulation going, or do a few jumping jacks to get your motor running again.

Don't Forget Your H2O

Did you know that water can give you energy, but if you don't drink enough it can cause dehydration which can lead to headaches and even make you sleepy? Remember the old saying to drink 8 cups of water a day? Well  actually women need at least 91 ounces and men need 125. The easiest way to maintain this would be to purchase a water bottle, know it's measures and count how many times you refill throughout your day/night.

Workout Schedule

Not only can exercise help build strength and control weight but it also gives you energy. To insure proper rest while working overnights it is recommended that you workout before your shift instead of after. If your workout schedule will not allow for a time before work, it is suggested to do a routine that won't exert you as much, such as going for a walk or yoga.