With proper planning, you should be able to make time for exercise when working a night shift. Scheduling exercise into a night shift work schedule can be difficult because your daylight awake hours may be used to run errands, grocery shop or tie up other loose ends. Therefore, you need to set a strict exercise schedule before or after your shift to be successful.
Step 1
Do your workout late in the afternoon, before your shift starts. Set aside 30 minutes to one hour to perform aerobic exercise, resistance training or both. According to the American Council on Exercise, your body temperature is at its peak in the late afternoon. ACE also stated that many studies have shown that muscles perform better and have more power late in the day. Therefore, schedule your workouts before your shift to maximize benefit.
Step 2
Exercise after your shift the next morning. Because your body responds better to exercise when it is warm, warm up and stretch before your morning workout. After a five- to 10-minute warm-up, proceed with 30 minutes to one hour of exercise. Afterward, if you are tired, go to sleep. If exercise gives you energy, now is the time to run your errands for the day before getting in your rest.
Step 3
Divide your workouts into 10-minute segments during your night-shift breaks. According to USAToday.com, 10 minutes of exercise may yield an hour of benefit. Therefore, go for a brisk walk or jog or perform 10-minute resistance exercise circuits to squeeze in exercise during your shift. If you include circuit training into your workout plans, try to alternate between one minute of pushups, one minute of squats and one minute of situps for a total-body workout.
Tips and Warnings
- Bring a snack with you to eat after your workout. Bring water or a sports drink with you to work if you work out during your breaks.
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