Nutrition Recommendations for Shift Workers

"Shift work can affect your eating patterns and the types of food and beverages you consume," said Dyt. Sinem Usuk, Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist at Istanbul Okan University Hospital, sharing important recommendations and information for shift workers. Attention for Night Shift Workers Shift work systems consist of work models that do not conform to the standard 8-hour daytime work period. Night shifts, rotating shifts and/or irregular working hours can all be grouped under this category. Compared to people working standard hours, shift workers have been found to be at higher risk for various conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, digestive problems, sleep disorders, depression and vitamin D deficiency (particularly due to lack of sun exposure). For example, it is estimated that the risk of heart disease increases by 40 percent for night shift workers. So how does shift work negatively affect our health?

Negatively Affects Metabolic Health

Working at night primarily disrupts the body's circadian rhythm, also known as the "body clock." Since the circadian rhythm is a system consisting of different physiological fluctuations dependent on sunlight and temperature over a 24-hour period, disruptions here impair the functioning of a person's metabolism.

Healthy Eating Recommendations

Even if your food choices are healthy, the environment in which you eat them matters. At your workplace, make an effort to eat your meals in a healthy and comfortable dining environment. Create a regularly designated time slot during your shift for meal time. Eating as similarly as possible to your normal daytime and nighttime eating schedule will ease your metabolism's working rhythm. Avoid eating between midnight and 6 a.m. if possible, or at least limit your energy (calorie) intake. Try to eat at the beginning and end of your shift. For example, workers on afternoon shifts should eat their main meal during the middle of the day, not in the middle of their shift. Night workers should eat their meal before their shift begins, during normal dinner times. For those leaving a night shift, having breakfast before sleeping during the day will help prevent waking due to hunger. However, I recommend that this meal be a light breakfast. Consuming a heavy meal 1-2 hours before sleep can cause difficulties falling asleep. Since dehydration will further increase fatigue in your body, make sure to drink water regularly throughout your shift. If shift workers feel the need for caffeine-containing beverages (such as tea, coffee) to stay awake during their shift, I recommend they consume these drinks at the beginning of their shift and switch to caffeine-free beverages as the shift progresses.