Shift Work And Health

Our daily patterns can impact our overall health. When work hours are irregular and impact our sleep/wake cycle (circadian rhythm), over time, it can impact our health negatively. Over the past few years, twilight and night shift workers have been on the rise, making support for this population increasingly necessary. I conducted this as my dissertation topic, where I investigated if shift work impacted eating habits.

Our bodies love patterns. We love a schedule of when we are awake, when we sleep, when we eat and when “go bathroom”. Our brains love a regular sleep/wake cycle because it allows for good quality of sleep leading to proper cognitive function throughout the day. Our hormones (to name a few: ghrelin, leptin, insulin, glucagon and melatonin) love a regular and timely intake of food and drink. Patterns also allow for regular physical activity, which has its own world of benefits to our health such as improved mood, improved glucose sensitivity and heart health.

Shift work, particularly night/twilight shift work, can cause these patterns to desynchronise. Sleep desynchronisation can impact our glucose regulation, cognitive function, and emotional state. The time at which we eat may change between work and non-workdays. Our food choices can be influenced by availability and mood. There have been a few studies looking into energy, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes of shift workers and have found that age and length of time working shift work impact various nutrient-related concerns. This means that there is need for individual support regarding nutrition for shift-workers in addition to the advice currently provided to the general community.

To those of you who are reading this and are shift workers, there are ways you can try improving your overall health through small things like:

·        Maintaining a regular sleep schedule where possible

·        Good sleep hygiene

·        Eating nutrient-dense foods often

·        Preparing your meals in advance

·        Eating at similar times where possible

·        Remembering to drink enough liquids.

While I cannot give more individualised advice here, I can during nutrition consultations. If you’re a shift worker and you’ve noticed you’re irritable, gaining un-intended body fat, having rough nights sleep and struggling to eat nutritious foods, book your 15-Minute Discovery Call now (link top-right of the page) to begin your journey of improving your health and relationship with food!