Exhaustion

[VeganBikeChick]

I'm trying to find the time to exercise but due to overwhelming lack of energy/desire/motivation I'm finding it extremely difficult. I work 3 12 hour nightshifts/week, and have tried to exercise before going to work but then crash halfway through my shift. Going back to working nights has been a key factor in my increased exhaustion, but there's nothing I can do about my work schedule. Today was my first day off after working 3 in a row and I spent the majority of it catching up on sleep. How do you all get past the exhaustion to find the energy to run/bike/whatever? I don't even have any other obligations like many of you who work and raise families.

[Donna1960]

Is this a new schedule for you? If so give yourself a chance to get adjusted to it!

[Helene2013]

We get up at 4:15am (4 days a week). The other day we can get up at 6am. If it was up to me, I would just crash on sofa and do nothing when we get home. But I do "force" myself to do my training the minute I get home (well after taking the dogs out for their pee that is!). Once this is out of the way, I can move on. But at 9pm, I'm ready to hit the sack but can't right away. argggh

Could you do it at work during your break during one of those 3 days you're at work? Or something light anyway that does not require tons of equipment or big room, etc.

My husband used to work nightshift (10hours) and it was a nightmare for him too. He had 2 days off, and one was mostly spent catching up on sleep as he could not sleep well during the day. So I hear you on this issue.

Good luck.

[thekarens]

Sad to say, but we had to invest in a trainer to get our exercise in. We get up at 5 and my partner doesn't get home until 7. With the trainer we can always find at least 30 minutes to exercise and we can fit in some TV watching while we're doing it.

It's sad, but we put my cruiser on the trainer. That way we wouldn't have to change into riding shoes and shorts.

[Helene2013]

Sad to say, but we had to invest in a trainer to get our exercise in. We get up at 5 and my partner doesn't get home until 7. With the trainer we can always find at least 30 minutes to exercise and we can fit in some TV watching while we're doing it.

It's sad, but we put my cruiser on the trainer. That way we wouldn't have to change into riding shoes and shorts.

Same here. My basement is "custom-fitted" for what we like to do. All is there. And I much prefer to use my road bike on trainer, then outside. Faster, no need to get out there and waste time. My dogs are with us, etc... I save my outings for weekends, but it rains all the time here! Bad spring so far.

[shootingstar]

Your sleep is very important VeganChick. So do catch up on sleep as a priority. Give yourself time. Just stick to healthy meals. Any chance to exercise (even yoga?) during lunch for a short time? As for not biking, don't beat yourself up right now. It'll come back when you're ready.

One of my sisters has this perpetual problem --she is an ER doctor at a hospital and works 2 12 hr. shifts back to back every weekend. She drives 80 km. to work one way and then back. Then she comes home....to her 2 young children and hubby. She jokes: I'm shortening my lifespan by working these night shifts.. I think what she is saying is based on medical studies.. What one do? She is making this choice and wishes to by working part-time only.

[rebeccaC]

Building exercise habits again, even small ones, can get you back to seeing the benefits of exercise. i do some stair climbing work in the building i work in at least once a day. It's become a habit. Even just going for a brisk walk during a work break can be a good goal. Setting one easy, specific, measurable goal can lead to larger goals and with that the motivation to keep going. Good luck on whatever route you take!!!

[OakLeaf]

Well, it's been a long time since I've been so sleep deprived, but I say honor your body. General lack of energy is a reason to get out there and push, but exhaustion is your body telling you that you need rest, even if your head thinks you should be doing something else.

Maybe try a short gentle yoga practice after work, or before bedtime on work days, 20-30 minutes of centering and alignment. That will help work the worst kinks out of your body and might help you get the rest you need. Then you might have more energy for a gentle ride, hike or jog on non-work days.

As far as the night shift, I don't know what to tell you, because I know my body well enough to know I just couldn't do it. Not everyone can. Hope you can adjust. Light is enormously important to our circadian rhythm, so it might help you to make sure that your sleeping area is as dark as you can possibly make it when you sleep, black out your windows etc., but then light on waking is equally important, so you might invest in one of those progressive light alarm clocks, with natural spectrum bulbs that simulate sunrise. I've never tried one of those, but if I had to work night shift it would be the first thing I'd do.

ETA - might try taking melatonin before bedtime too, for a little while anyway. I keep reading that it really is not possible to "catch up" on sleep, so the more you can do to just get to sleep as soon as you can after work, and save the rest of the chores for non-work days, I think, the better. How long have you been on night shift?

Good luck and hugs.




ETA: just read this piece on ChiRunning.com and thought of you. It's pretty specific to running, but it talks about ways to get a great workout out of a run without making it terribly strenuous.