3 Tips for Graveyard Shift (from a Dietitian Working Nights)
When the pandemic hit in 2020, everyone was terrified of losing their jobs. Travel bans were imposed, and transportation became limited.
But you know what they say, every cloud has a silver lining. The pandemic gave rise to what we now call WFH, or Work from Home setup. Managers and business owners had to get creative to keep things running, and for many, working remotely has been a blessing.
"Remote jobs no experience", "Work from home teaching jobs", and "Part-time content writing jobs at home" became the go-to for job seekers.
Companies with permanent work-from-home setups have changed how we view office life. For many, it's the ultimate work-life balance: at home with your laptop.
Pros? It provided more time for family and eliminated the dreaded commute. No more long waits in line or early wake-up calls to beat the clock.
I mean, who wants to leave the comfort of home to work if you can do it right there? It just makes sense to skip the travel and work from home.
Cons of Work from Home - especially a Graveyard Shift
Here's the twist: every situation has its perks and pitfalls. Sure, working from home saves us from pollution and long hours of commute, but it brings new health risk due to night shift work like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure all from bad eating of diet high in sugar, carbs, and sitting too much
Plus, dealing with clients in different time zones can mean less shut eye, making graveyard shifts the new normal. Combine all that, and it's a recipe for health problems.
Now comes the big question: is the WFH lifestyle really worth it, given all these obstacles?
My Take as a Dietitian in a Night Shift WFH set-up
Working from home is awesome, right? But hey, finding that balance in a WFH setup? That's key. It's all about staying disciplined to make it really work for you.
Many people have been offering various advice - I understand it can be overwhelming to know what to do.
First things first, I'm not here to give you a copy-pasted night-shift health tip. I'm in the game just like you are.
After two months in this setup, I've learned a thing or two about thriving in WFH. Here are my top three night-shift health tips:
Prioritize Sleep: It's a no-brainer, right? But let's face it, sleeping after a graveyard shift isn't always easy, especially with noise, heat, and sunlight creeping in.
My workaround? Try grabbing 2-3 hours of shut eye in the morning, then catch another 2-3 before your night shift work starts. It's not ideal, but it works wonders.
If splitting your sleep schedule isn't cutting it, investing in some sleep aids like a quality sleeping mask or blackout curtains can make a world of difference.
Blocking out light and minimizing noise can create a better sleeping environment during the day.
If you're living with your family, please, don't be afraid to communicate your needs. After all, you're all in this together.
I always tell my mom not to wake me up when my Shopee order arrives while I'm sleeping after work!
Asking for their support in creating a quiet and peaceful atmosphere during your sleeping hours can go a long way in ensuring you get the rest you need to perform at your best during your night shift.
Mind what you Eat: I'm not here to preach about munching on veggies at midnight— I mean, who craves a salad in the middle of the night, right?
But hear me out: just focus on two things—watch your snacks and caffeine intake—and you'll be golden.
Night shifts often lead to a diet high in sugar and carbs. I suggest going for healthier snack choices that are high in protein but easy to prepare.
Have you ever noticed that no matter how many servings of M&M's you've had, you still don't feel like you've had enough? That's because they're designed to make you crave more.
High-protein snacks can help you feel fuller throughout the night, so when you're satisfied, you won't be reaching for more food to fill your stomach.
My top 3 favorites are: high protein bar, overnight oats, or a bowl of yogurt with banana.
When visiting the grocery store, opt for snacks that have at least 10-15 grams of protein per serving listed on the nutrition label.
If you're a coffee lover like me, opt for black or low-sugar options. You can also try other low-sugar caffeine alternatives. My go-to is Turmeric Tea.
If you want to take it a step further, limit yourself to three cups a day. It's doable, I promise (I'll be sharing more on how to do this on my upcoming posts!).
Exercise: I can't sugarcoat how important exercising is. And trust me, I get it, exercising can feel like a nightmare. But hey, here's the deal: you don't have to overcomplicate things. Here's how:
Be realistic, how many minutes can you start? 5, 10 or 20 mins? As long as you're up to doing for X days, that's a great start!
What kind of workout? How about gym membership? I'm here to tell you that you don't need a fancy gym membership—bodyweight exercises at home works just fine (and they are my favorite!) especially for beginners. You can start with simple pushups, squats, running in place even Pilates.
I'll be sharing in my next blog some tips on how to get started with exercising if you need a little bit of boost. For now, I’d suggest starting with some short 5–20-minute workout videos to ease into it.
To give you examples, below are my trusty go-to workouts: P.S. Honestly, there are times I slack off on exercising (I’ll spill the beans in my next blog), but just getting back into these for a week or two gets me back on track.
P.S. If you have any injuries or are recovering from one, I suggest reaching out to a physical therapist for a tailored exercise routine.
Conclusion
There you have it, three simple tips to help you win your graveyard shift. It's not everything, but it's a great start. If you can nail these three, you'll definitely improve at balancing earning money with staying healthy.
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Xoxo,
Claire 😄
