Night Shift Workers

[landrywifey]

Hi everyone, 

Hope ya'll are having a good start to the new year. I was hoping someone can help me out.

I work nights and its hard for me to know when to eat. (i have trouble sleeping so i am awake by 14:00 even though i go to bed at 10:00. I am not sure when is a good time to start eating or what exactly to eat. I would like to get my nutrition better this year. For anyone who works nights they understand that the days we have off it hard to keep on schedule for eating habits can someone please help me.

I was also wondering what are some tricks/ tips you have for someone who doesnt get a proper amount of sleep.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi  @landrywifey

Try tuning into your body how you feel before / during / after eating. If feeling needing to force feed yourself, wait until your precious body needs more nourishment, regardless the time. Feeling being satisfied, but having some appetite, thinking about something to eat,.. see what looks most appealing to have in the moment.. a piece of fruit, some pieces of fruit.. some yoghurt,.. anything else your body desires..

Eat slowly in smaller bites, enjoy the taste, notice when feeling getting more satisfied while eating, and feeling having enough, or something's missing and could have a bit more..

See which foods make you feel satisfied for longer or which foods make you leave hungry (even if just ate lots from)..

Every food you eat, you must love to eat. For example like to eat banana's, apples.. but somehow can't eat a pear (even though it comes from nature). Like coffee, can drink coffee of one brand, but can't drink coffee of some other brands..

If your body dislikes something, even when it's healthy for the body, have something else instead when possible.

Aim to eat foods provided from nature mainly when desired, as minimal as processed (fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, fish..).. though when eating see in the moment how hungry your body is, what it needs, how much it needs (telling having enough, not needing more)..

When eating prepackaged foods.. see if it doesn't contain added sugars, names not able to pronounce, and has to be consumed soon, instead of still being able to eat in x years..

The best foods are ones without a label..

Don't be restricted to much, if wanting a little treat once in a while, allow to have with moderation, to prevent binge eating (and eating more from at the next opportunity).

Your precious body knows which nutritients its needing more from, depending on foods previously eaten, it's complex and knows which foods contains the nutritients it needs. When trying listening to, your body guides with appetite / hunger / satisfied signals.. what it needs, how much, and having enough (not needing more), though these signals can be out of whack if all foods eaten would be 'junk foods', rather than foods nature intends us to have.

Have Fun

[taekwondogirl]

I understand your problems completely. I work 12 1/2 hour long night shifts in a hospital. I don't get a standard lunch break tho. While working my three nights in a row I try to eat three or four smaller meals/ snacks while at work.

For example:

 1900 I will eat a piece of fresh fruit

2300 I try to eat a yogurt, string cheese or if I'm being a rebel a small bag of chips

0100 I will eat a sandwich or a smart choices tv dinner (sandwiches get boring after a while)

0300 I will try to eat another piece of fresh fruit or veggies

I try to sleep from about 0800 until about 1500 and surprisingly I'm not starving when I wake up, since I've been eating these mini meals. Before I go to work I'll either have a special K meal replacement shake or a bowl of cereal, which tides me over until I eat my mini meals during work.

And on my days off I try to eat a normal schedule with three meals during the day, just try to make sure that you're not snacking during the night if you're having a night that you can't seem to fall asleep.

[LordHeathen]

Hello everyone,

I am a lorry driver and work nights and other crazy shift patterns.

I like to plan ahead and create lunchbox meals that just sit in the fridge and I use a flask for coffee or tea and one for soups or noodles. I only get a 45 min break per 4.5 hrs of driving and if not driving I get a 30 min break every 6 hours of work.

This seemed to work for me!