Nutrition experts help - caloric requirements on a flexible/rotating schedule?

[GymDog99]

I've always been curious about this. I work the "midnight" shift (11pm - 7am), and being married with children, I "flip-flop" my sleep schedule so that I sleep "normal" hours on my days off. The catch to this is that on my first day back to work, I'm up for more hours than I usually am - I typically get up at 6am and do not go to bed until 8am the following morning, so on my first day back to work, I am awake and active for approximately 26 hours straight.

Now, I've always tailored my diet to the Harris-Benedict formula, but I don't know if the caloric requirement that is determined from the formula accounts only for a person awake for a typical day (awake 16 hours, asleep 8 hours), or if it accounts for a full 24 hours.

Anyway, what I'm trying to figure out is, on days that I'm awake for more than 16 hours (e.g. 26 hours w/o rest), do I need to eat more calories that day to account for the extra time I am awake and active, or do I eat the same as I would any other "regular" day? If I need to take in more calories, generally how much would I need to consume?

Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

 

[roguemonkeyjr]

I would personally take in more calories, being awake for that long my body would be starving itself and wouldnt be good for muscle growth, I don't know how much more you would need to take in you should post you're BMR and what you usually eat in a day

 

[GymDog99]

Currently, I'm 6'0", 225 lbs., high single digit b/f. I'm currently eating at or just below a "maintenance level" caloric intake, which varies (I cycle my carbs daily - high/moderate/low, depending on my workout). Currently, my intake ranges from 2700 to 3300 calories.