What to eat on night shift to stay healthy
An evidence-based approach on how to stay healthy working night shift
It’s not only what to eat on night shift to stay healthy, but also when to eat. Some of the most common problems faced by shift workers are digestive problems – gas, bloating, reflux, constipation and severe discomfort. If this is sounding all-too familiar, it’s likely you’ve flipped your meal times around from daytime to nighttime, or you’re eating the wrong foods at the wrong time. It’s important we understand that our body metabolises food very inefficiently overnight, even though we are awake working.
What the research shows from a certified evidence-based nutritionist
The research on how to stay healthy working night shift clearly shows that even if you are eating the same food overnight (as you could eat during the day), it has a severe and negative impact on our bodies.
And it’s all because of the most critical part of our biological make-up: the circadian rhythm.
Our circadian rhythm runs on a 24-hour cycle and coincides with a typical day (light during the daytime and darkness during the nighttime). This finely tuned rhythm dictates the release of hormones, brain wave activity, cell regeneration and numerous biological activities within our bodies.
By consuming food during the night, we are disrupting our bodies natural function and putting stress on the metabolism. In fact, it increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease (including incidence of elevated blood pressure, heart attack or stroke) and puts you at risk of a compromised immune system.
Improving your health – What to eat on night shift & when
The natural sunlight associated with daytime is how the body regulates our circadian rhythm. Light through our eyes and timing food intake helps shift workers to feel their best. After all, your circadian rhythm functions at its best with a regular eating and sleeping pattern – something that can be very difficult for shift workers to achieve, causing their bodies to become ‘out of sync’.
Which is where fasting overnight becomes a vital part of how to stay healthy working night shift.
Nutrient timing as the gold standard of managing your health as a shift worker
Fasting overnight and timing your meals (nutrient timing) is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help shift workers regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, maintain healthy hormone secretion, aid digestion, lower inflammation and support your overall immune system.
When nutrient timing is done right, shift workers report more energy (almost instantly!) and a better tolerance to the rigours of shift work. And it’s why we’ve developed a free resource for shift workers worldwide. Answering important questions like, ‘what to eat on night shift?’, ‘considerations for females on nightshift’ and ‘how to do nutrient timing correctly?’
Free resource on how to stay healthy working night shift – The Circadian Fast
Learn more about the ins and outs of implementing an overnight fast to help improve your energy levels during shift work with our free downloadable resource: The Circadian Fast. This straightforward PDF is designed to transform how shift workers, just like you, approach nutrition and best of all, the positive effects are felt almost instantly.