# working nights vs. training



## dmar836 (Nov 17, 2007)

I work three 12-hour night shifts a week as an RN in an ICU. Sounds great with 4 off in a row every week and it is great for travel BUT....... At almost 41yo, I can't do much between the shifts except sleep and eat. I could train but unless I tool around the neighborhood or spin lightly on the trainer in the mornings after work, I am just too worn down. Additionally, I can't really exert too much the day of the first shift and am dead the first morning off. This leaves three good days a week to train. Also I basically lose a night of sleep per week in the "flip" so that can't help. 
I'm in good overall shape about 5'9" 160lbs. Anyone else deal with this or have training tips?
Dave
KC


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## squiggy (Oct 7, 2006)

I am on a similar shift and agree it poses a different challenge then a "normal" work schedule. What I have found works for me is a hard interval day the day before a work block followed by a few easy spins the days I work. This makes sure that when you are off again my legs are sorta fresh. Then maybe a group ride my "flip" day. Sometimes I find that with some other people around I can ride a bit harder as it just helps to motivate me when I am foggy in the head from the flip. I try to make this my long endurance ride. I have been given two good pieces of advice that I try to go by. First work on being as efficient as possible on the bike. Working shift work makes it difficult to get as fit as some other people. But if you can really work on pedal stroke, always being in the right gear, spinning not mashing, and pack positioning you can still due well. Granted it is tougher when you only have maybe one or two good kicks in your legs and other people have a several, but hey what can you do? Second is just have fun. We aren't paid to ride. I find it easy to get down when you watch people around you get super fit and there just is to much life in the way sometimes. But if I focus on having fun it is surprising how deep I can dig and how well I can due riding smart. Hope this helps! I am really curious to hear other peoples advice aswell.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I have no experience with a schedule like that; but I used to travel Mon-Thurs for work so that meant long workdays and crappy hotel workout rooms (at best). I adapted by doing hard blocks Fri-Sun, starting with a wake-up the legs, do some sprints ride Friday, a Saturday club hammerfest, and a Sunday long ride. 

I was toasted by Sun evening, did nothing Monday except hit the sack early, Tuesday and Wed I'd do a short easy run or something just to get blood pumping, plus core and stretching. Nothing Thurs b/c I'd be traveling.

That was enough to maintain whatever fitness I brought in; maybe marginally increase it.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Try riding before work instead of after. Even on a normal schedule I find it hard to get psyched for a ride after work; I am just too tired mentally. But if I go for a ride before work, even if I am physically a bit tired from the ride, mentally I'm ready to go.


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## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

Have to agree with Eric. I'm starting back in to my night rotation job (energy trading) this week and am not really looking forward to it...but, if you get to bed right after you get off...errr...if you're S.O. is cool with that...I mean, when you get home, then wake up and ride before going to work you may have better luck. I've tried running and cycling in the morning coming off shift and that has never been productive.

I'll throw two more things in:

Diet can help.

If it is really hard on you and you are having a tough time, why not look at other career options? I'm guessing at 41 you have the experience and intelligence to do something else. You only have one life. If shift work doesn't work for you, leave it to someone else...or accept that your riding will not be what you wish it to be and make the best of it.


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## Doctor Who (Feb 22, 2005)

I used to work 30 hours a week at night as a server in a restaurant, with class on a couple of those days. On days that I had the time, I'd go out for an early morning ride for a couple of hours, from 7-10, then do homework for a while and relax before going in to the restaurant. On days that I had class, I'd fit in a shorter ride, usually 50 minutes of hill repeats or a TT effort down the industrial corridor close to where I lived. 

Can you commute in by bike? One thing I found from being on my feet all night in a fast-paced and high-pressure place like a restaurant, was that my legs at the end of a shift, while exhausted, could always find the energy, once warmed-up, to get me home in the double. I'm a bit younger than you, but you aren't THAT old, so I bet that you could do it if you put your mind to it.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Hey, oldtimer (I won`t be 41 until April)- mostly just my sympathetic understanding, but maybe some useable advice. I`ve been on 12-hour shifts for alomst thirteen years, sometimes days and sometimes nights. One thing I know for sure is that the way you arrange your sleep/awake time and you on/off days has a big affect on your energy level as well as your general outlook on life. Everybody eventually develops his own method of coping and sometimes it`s a lot different from the next guy`s. It seems to me that most folks try to stay up late the last night off, then sleep in as long as possible on the morning of their "Mon". For me, I feel better if I short myself a little bit that last off night, then grab a nap from like three to five o`clock before I go in. After my last shift of the week, I like to sleep three hours, then drag my groggy self out of bed and try to force myself into the day shift world. Other guys stay up all day or go to sleep until they wake up, depending on what works best for each individual. Unless you have young kids at home (in that case, I wouldn`t want your work schedule for anything), you can try experimenting to see what works for you. As to cycling, I must confess that I don`t do it seriously. I bike commute all year and jump on for a ride when I feel like it- nothing like "training" in my life. I do enjoy my commute though. I find it relaxing and it`s my motivation to get my butt out the door when I leave the house as well as my post shift cool down . YMMV, good luck.


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## JimT (Jul 18, 2007)

DMAR, I am in the same boat as you except I am 43. I have tried blocking my days 3 in a row, one on, one off etc.. and it is flat out tough working ICU nights, daytime was great. The best schedule for me is 1 on, two off, two on, on the second day off is normally a good ride the other days are junk. As far as riding before work, for me, I see it as a potentially dangerous for my patients and after work I am too mentally and physically exhausted for any type of ride. 
I cant wait to get on day shift.


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## dmar836 (Nov 17, 2007)

Thanks for all the tips and support. 
Cervelo-er, you are right. I have considered a change but in my current title, I really like the less confusing atmosphere of the night shift and the co-workers are much less dramatic.
Rodar, I too have tried varying the shifts and how I sleep before and after. I also don't get the best sleep between shifts (stress?) - maybe 6 hours at most. Ironically, I sleep better the closer to work it gets - mid afternon sucks! My circadian rhythm does something weird then. Often 10am to 3pm is a really good night's sleep. I am not the most disciplined person so I guess there is no easy way but to tighten things up a bit. I could go days but with the same 12hr shifts that wouldn't really give me more saddle time, just more sleep (maybe) and less money. I have considered cutting back hours(a real possibility and made a difference before) or even changing careers once I'm married later this year but for now I have to work this out. Again, maybe I'm looking for the easy way out. I guess I could get the bedroom darker, make sure the ringers are off, and hit the sack earlier when I get home. 
I think I will try Squiggy's approach and other's advice on timing - a hard ride the day before working and easy recovery spins after I sleep between shifts. I have been fairly hesitant to ride before work as I hate thinking of running too late or, worse, bonking at work at 2am!
Thanks again and keep the advice coming.
Dave
KC


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## dreww (Jan 22, 2004)

*Sleep more...*

In my opinion, a high energy/high stress occupation teamed with a physically demanding hobby requires significantly more sleep than 5 hrs a night - no wonder you are "bagged" after your third shift.

As you have trouble sleeping on your "on" days, maybe riding after your shifts will HELP you sleep better. Clear your mind, remove stress post shift and help wear you out etc, etc. Its gonna take some getting used to but... 5 hrs a night aint cutting it is it?

I personally ride before my shift (when I work nights) and just suffer thru the night. After a few shifts I don't really notice the extra fatigue.

I don't think 3 x 12hrs is a lot in a week to be this tired. Trouble is 11hrs break (assuming 1/2 hr each way commute) minus 8hrs sleep, minus eating etc does not leave much time for anything else.

Someone else asked; can you commute by bike?


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

I work nights, off shift at 07:30, and prefer hard rides right afterwards. I feel I get the largest training effect by being able to sleep soon after.
Of course that's not always the case and I get 4 or 5 hours sleep 2 or 3 days in a row.  
And once you throw in family life, all bets are off.
Lou.


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## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

I couldn't resist a hard ride earlier today in lieu of more sleep...paying for it on shift right now...4 more hours. Then a couple hours of sleep and more riding. Can't beat the sun and warm temps in Colorado this week.

I second the "no time for anything else" after subtracting 12 hours of work, 1 hour of commuting, 1 hour of getting ready for work/getting out of the work clothes, throw in cooking a meal and packing a lunch and its hard to do much more than sleep a bit and do it all over again.

Such is life.


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## dmar836 (Nov 17, 2007)

Well, Actually, 12 hour shifts is about 14 away from the house so it leaves about 10 hours off total - not much.
I would love to ride to work but the 18 miles is about 16 highway and the alternate city route would be lots of stop lights and unsafe drama IMO. 
I rode the rollers for 20 min just to get a little workout the eve before my first shift this week and have tried to concentrate on sleeping but the times haven't gone up too much yet.
I plan on power napping today (done working this week) and riding outside in the afternoon - supposed to be 50s in KC!


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## dreww (Jan 22, 2004)

dmar836 said:


> Well, Actually, 12 hour shifts is about 14 away from the house so it leaves about 10 hours off total - not much.
> I would love to ride to work but the 18 miles is about 16 highway and the alternate city route would be lots of stop lights and unsafe drama IMO.
> I rode the rollers for 20 min just to get a little workout the eve before my first shift this week and have tried to concentrate on sleeping but the times haven't gone up too much yet.
> I plan on power napping today (done working this week) and riding outside in the afternoon - supposed to be 50s in KC!


You mention its tough to "flip" from nights to days, so... have you tried maintaining your work sleep schedule throughout the week?

I used to drive truck 6pm til 6am Sunday thru Thursday and found that staying up til 2-3am on my off days made the transition much easier. Sleep 2am - 10am was a solid 8hrs, and 10am isn't that bad when you have significant others to deal with.

How about riding from the hospital straight after your shift (if the traffic is not too bad - I understand Hospitals are generally situated in busy areas)

This way you get an hour or so in, shower at work - then head home for sleep. The benefit is you're still pumped up after your shift vs trying to drag your a$$ back out of the house when you just got home... just a thought


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2008)

I personally found night shift work to be an unhealthy and difficult existence.

I used to do lots of night shifts when I worked in the oilfield. The worse part was coming back from work (after 1, 2, or 3 weeks away for example) and trying to get back into a normal daylight existence for the small time I have back in town (maybe a week), by the time I was readjusted I was going back to work almost.

The constant chopping and changing shifts/sleep patterns really screws one up...and the effect is cumulative. Trying to train effectively is a waste of time IMHO. I think there is evidence to show that night shift work is bad for one's health also.

One can cycle a bit if doing shift work but that is about it.

For me I changed by lifestyle and job. Now I sleep regular hours, do 35-40 hour weeks, and I can train as much as any other amateur.

The free time I have to enjoy life I do not want to have to endure on a screwed up circadian rhythm.


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## DRLski (Apr 26, 2003)

I just started working 3rd shift a few weeks ago and for me my biggest issue has been my days off since half my day I basically sit around doing nothing since it's dark out and all the stores are closed. But...I told myself I'd give it some time since afterall...it is a paycheck, if things don't work out then I will be seeking other opportunities. I will say though that I seem to be more on a "schedule" now than I was when working in a 9-5, I get more sleep now than I did before.


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## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

Totally agree. My days on shift are numbered...unfortunately I am an indentured servant right now...my company moved me ($4,300), gave me a signing bonus ($2,500), expenses on the move/relo trip ($4,000), and is paying 4 months rent ($7,200). I paid tax on all that, but if I leave in under a year, I have to pay the whole scheboullie back. Stuck am I.

Granted there are worse situations to be in, but that's mine. February 2009 I'm a free agent.

Best I could hope for is finding another job in the company and getting on a regular schedule without leaving the co. May be an option this summer...


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

DLR, have you tried changing yourself to a "normal" schedule on your days off? The change presents a challenge of its own, but not as bad as living like a vampire on the weekends, in my opinion. It might be easier on than staying graveyard the whole week, especially if you`re only working eight hour shifts.

Hang in there, Cerevelo. One year is a pice of cake- you can do that standing on your head.


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