Fun and Fitness: Shift work and staying fit
Most people who have experienced
shift work at one point or
another will tell you that it is hell.
They will often say it entails endless
days or nights with a scattered
schedule that is not in line with that
of their friends or family. Then you
have those people who swear by
shift work. They enjoy schedules
consisting of five days on and four
days off, which allows them to
really plan around their work
schedule. However, both parties
typically agree on one thing: shift
work really messes with the circadian
rhythm!
The circadian rhythm refers to our 24-hour body clock. For most individuals, we live a pretty standard daily routine. We wake up at a certain point, we go to either school or work, and we typically end our night in bed at about the same time frame. Elite athletes live by a very strict daily routine. They often have to wake up at the exact same time every day in order to get through their training regimen and then must be in bed at the exact same time to ensure sufficient rest and recovery. The average person doesn't abide by these rules because he or she has the everyday hiccups in their busy lives that throw their routines off. Now take a person who lives a weekly life of shift work and you've got one screwedup circadian rhythm!
Policing, Security and Emergency Medical Services are just a few of the many professions that often follow a shift work format. Many people can become accustomed to such schedules, but devising a consistent weekly routine can become challenging. Above all else, implementing an effective nutrition and workout plan can be even tougher. Many of us don't want to take the time to cook a nutritious meal after a 12- hour day of work. What about preparing several meals for your next 12-hour shift after just completing a tiresome 12-hour shift? Yeah right!
Shift work often lends itself to a collection of concerns for cardiovascular disease. Shift workers often fall into the trap of finding shortcuts, eating fast food and cutting out scheduled workouts. Let's not forget that many of the mentioned shift work professions come with an inevitable amount of stress, which may lead to alcoholism.
So why is that some police officers and other shift work professionals are some of the most incredibly healthy people around? It's simple: they devise a successful routine around their out of the ordinary work routine! This often involves preparing their meals well in advance to avoid not doing it after a tiresome shift. It involves pre-planning their workouts days in advance and sticking to a strict schedule that does not allow them the opportunity to skip them. Above all else, it takes incredible organization and motivation, as well as a balance of work, play and health.
The circadian rhythm refers to our 24-hour body clock. For most individuals, we live a pretty standard daily routine. We wake up at a certain point, we go to either school or work, and we typically end our night in bed at about the same time frame. Elite athletes live by a very strict daily routine. They often have to wake up at the exact same time every day in order to get through their training regimen and then must be in bed at the exact same time to ensure sufficient rest and recovery. The average person doesn't abide by these rules because he or she has the everyday hiccups in their busy lives that throw their routines off. Now take a person who lives a weekly life of shift work and you've got one screwedup circadian rhythm!
Policing, Security and Emergency Medical Services are just a few of the many professions that often follow a shift work format. Many people can become accustomed to such schedules, but devising a consistent weekly routine can become challenging. Above all else, implementing an effective nutrition and workout plan can be even tougher. Many of us don't want to take the time to cook a nutritious meal after a 12- hour day of work. What about preparing several meals for your next 12-hour shift after just completing a tiresome 12-hour shift? Yeah right!
Shift work often lends itself to a collection of concerns for cardiovascular disease. Shift workers often fall into the trap of finding shortcuts, eating fast food and cutting out scheduled workouts. Let's not forget that many of the mentioned shift work professions come with an inevitable amount of stress, which may lead to alcoholism.
So why is that some police officers and other shift work professionals are some of the most incredibly healthy people around? It's simple: they devise a successful routine around their out of the ordinary work routine! This often involves preparing their meals well in advance to avoid not doing it after a tiresome shift. It involves pre-planning their workouts days in advance and sticking to a strict schedule that does not allow them the opportunity to skip them. Above all else, it takes incredible organization and motivation, as well as a balance of work, play and health.
