Working night shifts makes a healthy diet harder, but the right plan can support energy, mood and long-term health. Eat your main meal before the shift, keep snacks low-GI and protein-rich, stay hydrated with water (not energy drinks), and limit caffeine to the earlier part of your shift so it doesn't interfere with sleep.
How does the food you eat food affect your energy levels, mood, risk of disease, and sleep patterns whilst shift working? What is a healthy night shift diet plan?
It is notoriously difficult to follow a healthy diet when working night shifts but eating healthily has been shown to control your energy levels more effectively and to have long term health benefits.
Not all of us follow a traditional work schedule and similarly there is no one shift meal plan that will work for all. It is more about using the information provided in this article to tweak our suggested night shift diet plan.
There are often difficulties accessing healthy food during shift work. In this article we will address the negative health impacts of shift work and how we can optimise what we eat to reduce these risks and to increase our energy levels.
These tips do not apply if you have an underlying health condition such as diabetes. If you have an underlying health condition, please consult your doctor before making any big changes to your diet.
Why are night shift workers at increased risk of certain diseases?
It’s mainly centred around a disruption of the circadian rhythm and the sleep wake cycle. Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock. They are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a daily cycle. Sleeping at night and being awake during the day is an example of a light-related circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm is affected when shift working, especially that which requires the body to be awake and alert during the night when the body would naturally be resting. This disruption and sleep deprivation affects food choices. It has been shown to increase cravings for calorie dense foods and foods high in sugar and salt.
Although overall energy intake is similar between shift workers and non-shift workers, the type of food and food habits are different. For example, some shift workers consume more snacks, irregular meals, high sugar and fat products, alcoholic beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages and have an overall low fibre intake.
Another reason it is hard for shift workers to make healthy choices is the lack of access to healthy food or scheduled break times to eat proper meal and snacks.
Combined poor sleep quality, sleep deprivation and poor food choices cause night shift workers to have an increased risk of:
- Poor psychological health
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Breast cancer
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Atherosclerosis
Can this increased risk be prevented with a healthier diet?
By consuming the right foods during your shift’s, you can reduce the risk of developing these health problems. However, this is not the only way you can do this, keep reading to find out other methods that may also help to reduce your risk.
How to follow a healthy night shift diet plan?
Types of foods
In general, the advice is to follow a healthy balanced diet with nutrient dense foods. More specifically if you are working during the night it is also recommended you try and consume low glycaemic index foods. These low glycaemic index foods help prevent spikes in blood sugar therefore reducing fatigue and helping weight management. Another recommendation is that you try to consume smaller meals during the night and consume healthy snacks throughout the night to keep energy levels up.
Planning your meals and snacks during your shifts
Experts recommend where possible consuming meals and snacks at similar times during your shift which helps your body adjust to a new routine. Planning ahead can help you achieve this goal. If you can prepare your meals and snacks in advance it will help you stick to your healthy diet plan. It will also prevent you from reaching for an unhealthy snack from a vending machine. See our article here to help control your hunger pangs.
Hydration is the key
Dehydration makes it difficult to concentrate and increases levels of fatigue. Unfortunately, one of the most popular drinks during shift work, especially night shifts is coffee or high caffeine drinks. Although they may feel like they boost your energy levels, over the course of a shift they will contribute to dehydration and may interfere with your rest at the end of your shift. Effects of coffee can be felt within 20 minutes and can last up to 3 or 4 hours depending on the strength of the drink and individual tolerance. Too much coffee can irritate the gastric system and have a diuretic affect which contributes to dehydration.
Sweetened caffeinated drinks will also contribute to your overall calorie intake which can interfere with weight maintenance. During night shifts coffee raises your already elevated adrenaline levels, leading to high cortisol and insulin which may result in weight gain.
If you are in need of a caffeinated drink, try to choose green tea over coffee. If you do choose to drink coffee, try to drink it earlier rather than later in your shift.
What should your night shift meal plan be?
It is worth keeping in mind that these are recommendations but no one way will work for everyone. It may be that you don’t want to eat a high calorie snack breakfast as it doesn’t suit your job requirements. Or you may find that eating a meal before bed keeps you awake. Certain foods may also not agree with you during the night, so it is important that you work out what healthy diet plan suits you.
Before your shift
- Make sure your main meal is consumed before your shift starts. This will provide you with energy throughout your working hours.
- Try and base this meal on whole grain and complex starches as these will help curb hunger cravings and provide slow release energy.
During your shift
- Some research shows that you should try to avoid having the meal in the middle of your shift between 12-6am and you should have healthy snacks during this time if you are hungry.
- This meal should preferably be low calorie and protein rich. This will be filling and help calm cravings.
After your shift
- Eat a healthy light meal before you go to sleep, in order to prevent you waking up due to being hungry.
- A healthy high fibre, low fat and low sugar light snack /meal is the best option.
Snacks during your shift
- Eating little and often throughout the night will keep your energy levels up.
- Healthy snacks- such unsalted nuts, cut vegetables, snack bars, wholemeal crackers, yoghurt pot and fruit.
- As mentioned earlier try to avoid eating between 12-6am if possible, however if you do need to eat then try and choose a low-calorie protein rich snack.
Is food the only way to improve energy, mood and sleep during shift work?
- Sleep hygiene- read our article here on how to form good sleep patterns. Going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time is recommended.
- Keep a cool bedroom, around 18 degrees Celsius
- Regular exercise but not in the 3 hours before you want to sleep. See our article on the positive effects of regular exercise. Stretching or getting up and moving about during breaks is also recommended.
- If possible, having a nap during the day in 2006 The Royal College of Physicians recommended allowing time restricted powernaps where possible.
Conclusions
If you work shifts, then you may face more challenges when it comes to following a healthy night shift diet plan. However, if you plan ahead then you can successfully reduce your risk of any negative health effects and consume a healthy diet. It just takes a little more planning and effort on your part. Our healthy meal plans are here to help you.
Studies discussed in the article
What should I eat on my night shift?
Abi Rimmer
Link-https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l2143#:~:text=Keep%20hydrated%20during%20the%20shift,don't%20wake%20up%20hungry
Influences on Dietary Choices during Day versus Night Shift in Shift Workers: A Mixed Methods Study
Emily K. Bonnell, Catherine E. Huggins, Chris T. Huggins, Tracy A. McCaffrey, Claire Palermo and Maxine P. Bonham
Link- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372856/
Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects
Leyla Bayan, Peir Hossain Koulivand, and Ali Gorji
Link- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103721/