Introduction –
The night shift workers often face the problem of doing a consistent workout. But their irregular timings of sleep and meals make it really difficult for them to maintain a healthy fitness routine. But it is always important to do regular exercise to keep the body healthy.
Here in this article, we will discuss the possible and effective fitness routine that is specially designed for night shift workers. So, keep reading the article till the end to have a healthy lifestyle with the night shift work.
Is it really important to have a fit body for the night shift workers?
You have to understand that working during the night can make the body weak. It is known that these workers may face sleep disorders and heart disease more than natural workers. So, doing regular exercise will help you avoid any sleep disorders, improve your metabolism, and maintain your stress levels.
Best Times to Exercise as a Night Shift Worker: –
Doing a workout at the right time is the most important. Here, we are providing you some of the best time slots for the workouts.
1. Before starting your shift: –
Doing a workout before the shift starts can help you prepare your body before any type of physical work. Doing proper exercise at this time will also help you to wake up and feel energetic before work.
2. After your shift: –
You can also prefer to do a workout after your night shift. It can help you to burn the excess energy before you go to a deep sleep. But make sure your body is getting enough time to recover from the exercise.
3. On off days: –
Other than those two options, you can also give your best on the off days. Utilize your off days, and do a perfectly structured workout session. This off-day workout will help you to maintain consistency.
Let’s check out the complete fitness routines for night shift workers: –
Let’s think that your work starts at 10 PM and ends on the next day at 6 AM. So, we will organize a fitness routine that will help you to manage your work as well as the workout. You can also shift the timings according to your needs.
8:00 PM: –
After waking up, hydrate yourself and breathe the fresh air. Relax for around 10 minutes. After that, start your fitness journey by drinking a glass of water with lemon or any low-sugar drink (Water is always the best drink). Hydrating yourself is so important after a long sleep. After relaxing, start stretching out to avoid any muscle loss.
8:15 PM: –
Now, you can eat your pre-shift light meal. This food will work as fuel for your body while doing the workout and the night shift work. Here is a simple recommendation for the meal, which could include an egg, grain toast, a banana, or any protein shake.
8:45 PM: –
(Pre-Shift Workout)If you plan to work out before your shift, then here is the perfect routine. Let’s check out: –
Warm-up (10 mins): – You can start the warm-up by doing light jogging or jumping rope.
Cardio (20 mins): – For the best cardio workout, you can try cycling or dance workout.
Strength training (15 mins): – For the strength training, you can do squats and push-ups. These are the best workouts for strength training.
1. Squats: – In this workout, you will focus on your legs.
Push-ups: – This workout usually strengthens your arms and chest.
2. Lunges: – This workout helps to build lower body endurance.
3. Planks: – A perfect plank can help you to have stability and posture support.
Cool down (5 mins): – Now, you should focus on your hamstrings, shoulders, and lower back to keep your body fit for the work.
10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Stretching at breaks: – In every 1 to 2 hours, you should stand and do a 2 to 3-minute stretch or walk, which will help you to avoid any type of stiffness.
Healthy snacks: – In working time, you could have fiber-rich foods mixed with nuts, low-fat yogurt, and green vegetables. Try to avoid any heavy meals during this time.
Hydration: – During the night shift, you should keep a water bottle with you and try to drink around 2 to 3 liters of water during that time. It will keep your body fully hydrated.
6:30 AM: – (Post Shift Workout)If you think it’s hard for you to workout before your night shift, then this is the best time for you.
Here is a perfect routine for your post-shift workout: – Warm-up (5 mins): – Start your workout with light cardio and shoulder rolls. It will warm you up for the heavy workouts.
Strength training (20 mins): – Now you can focus on major muscles and can use dumbbells if possible. In this workout, you can include squats, push-ups, and leg raises.
Cool down (10 mins): – Finish your post-workout with simple yoga poses for relaxation.
7:30 AM: – Now, you have to eat the most important meal of the day, which is a post-workout meal. This meal should have various things as you are eating a recovery meal. You can eat lots of protein, oatmeal, boiled egg, and have chicken with vegetables, etc. This meal will help your body and muscles to recover and have proper sleep.
8:00 AM: – Now, you can start preparing for sleep. Start dimming the lights and practice light meditation. Try to avoid any screens; it will help you to have a better sleep. You can use sleep masks and blackout the curtains for a night feeling.
8:30 AM to 4:30 PM: –Try to sleep for around 8 hours a day. Prioritize any uninterrupted and deep sleep in a quiet, cool room. This is so important for muscle recovery and for hormonal balance.Rest Days: -On the rest days, you can do yoga and light workout to keep consistency. But don’t go for any heavy workouts, as your body needs full recovery in these rest days.
Final words: –
Though there are challenges of night shifts, a perfectly structured routine can help you to do a proper workout. Whether it is strength training or any type of cardio workout, it can be small, but remember that a consistent effort can make a huge difference.
FAQs
1. Is it ok to work out after the night shift?
Yes, it is completely ok to work out after the night shift.
2. What are the best workouts for the night shift workers?
A mix of cardio and strength training followed by simple yoga will be very good for the night shift workers.
3. How many days should I work out as a night shift worker?
You should aim for a 4 to 5-day workout per week. Keep the workout balanced and take a rest in between.
