Can you track BBT if you work shifts?

[Armdjm]

Just after some advice, wanted to more accurately track ovulation after this cycle if unsuccessful.

I have used OPKs in the past (currently just going off CM/pains) but I know they aren’t fully accurate without tracking BBT as well.

My question is, I work shifts. I do 13 hour day shifts and 12 hour nightshifts. So I could always track in the same ‘window’ between 6:30-8am ish but sometimes that will be me getting home to bed after nightshift, other times it will be me getting up after a full nights sleep so how do people do this? Or is it just not possible if you work shifts?

Technically it’s not possible because you need to measure after a consistent amount of sleep at the same time everyday.

however, if it was me, I’d probably just do it everytime I woke up (regardless of time, so do it in the morning if you’ve slept at night or do it on the afternoon if you’re sleeping in the day) but always after I’ve slept for 4+ hours.

after a couple of months, your body might show you patterns that you can try to understand. BBT is difficult to track with normal shifts tbh esp if you’re anxious. I would wake up in the middle of the night sometimes so it would skew it.

I reckon there will be some data that bbt can give you but you’d need to discover the patterns yourself rather than comparing to ‘normal’ users who don’t do shifts. Good luck!

also. Although I found bbt reassuring cuz I knew I was ovulating, it wasn’t good to predict when to have sex because you obviously can only see it AFTER ovulation. So depends why you wanna use it to if you should bother. I personally found cheap OPK sticks the best for finding peak. The bbt was just to make sure I was actually ovulating. I did find it stressful to do though sometimes.

I'm in the same boat, and I really don't think you can unfortunately. It requires you to wake up roughly the same time each day, and whilst I could just about manage that part, sometimes it would be after only 2/3 hours sleep, sometimes 7/8! Which will definitely skew it. I've been reluctant to try for that reason, as don't want to stress myself out over weird readings for no reason other than my shift pattern!

I've seen there are various smart watches etc that track for you and I'm seriously considering investing in one of those, as then you just get your temp constantly monitored. However, I don't think it's as accurate as a vaginal thermometer, or oral!

Thank you both for your replies!

Yeah I think it would stress me out the inconsistency to be honest! I think it would just be nice to confirm if I actually ovulated as I know LH strips don’t confirm. I have fallen pregnant twice before using LH strips but since my miscarriage in July I just wanted some confirmation if I was actually ovulating!

I alternate days and nights 6 weeks day 4 weeks nights so I suppose I could track the cycles that fall during my day shift windows and then just not track the ones I’m on nights!

That’s one of the reasons why I never done it to be honest.
I don’t work shifts but Im a light sleeper so I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning to go toilets etc… but not everyday so it would be so inconsistent.

it’s such a hassle IMO. Also, you only know when you ovulated AFTER you ovulate, due to the dip in temperature. So I dont really see the point after all