What to eat if you work the night shift

 

What to eat if you work the night shift

Humans are genetically programmed to work during the day and sleep at night, but there are many professions that require a person to switch to working at night, which makes him vulnerable to many health problems.

Risks to those who work at night

Studies and research have been unanimous that those who work night shifts are:

More at risk of lack of sleep, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and cancer.

More often suffer from digestive problems, such as nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation.

More often fall into the bump of physical, mental and psychological stress.

More infected with fatigue, fatigue, Distracted Mind.

More sliding towards contraband such as drugs and alcohol.

More frequently occur in safety-related issues such as accidents and injuries.

The scary Trinity

A 2003 study conducted in Italy by researchers at the Universities of Bari and Foggia, found that Italian factory workers on night shifts were more overweight than their counterparts working during the day. Night shift workers face a terrifying trinity of factors that promote weight gain, which include:

Consumption of fast food from vending machines or from a delivery service, it is known that these meals are unhealthy and are teeming with calories, sugar, salt and saturated fat.

Disruption of normal sleep phases due to disruptions in the biological clock, which creates various malfunctions, including the overall energy level, metabolism, digestion, heart, blood vessels, hormones, and the immune system.

The inability to exercise is either due to the lack of a safe place to do exercises, or as a result of exhausting fatigue due to night work.

The diet of night shift workers

The sleep cycle affects the body's energy metabolism, says Martin Kohlmeyer, director of the Center for Human Research at the Nutrition Research Institute at the University of North Carolina. His colleague Roba Macrossan, vice-chair of the interns committee at the Association of Anesthesiologists, pointed out that the disruption of the biological clock and the sleep-wake cycle affects the food choices of the night shift, making him more inclined to crave calorie-dense carbohydrates, sugary foods and salty snacks.

 

Night shift workers often find it difficult to choose healthy food and fall victim to the proverb of being there and the most available at night comes from fast food restaurants and vending machines that work 24 hours non-stop, which suggest unbalanced and unhealthy foods to night shift workers that are hastily scorned, which makes their health go to the wind.

What does the shift have to eat on his night shift

Eat a basic meal before starting the night shift so that it mainly contains ingredients that release energy slowly such as whole grains, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats, in order to reduce the ghost of hunger and curb food cravings, and give the body more vigor, energy, and alertness. It is desirable that food is brought from home to avoid falling into the trap of delivery service and vending machines that offer unhealthy and uncomfortable foods neither at the time of shift, nor outside it.

Set a schedule for healthy snacks during breaks during the shift, and it is preferable to prepare these meals in advance at home, as this will not only save the shift worker time and money, but also give him more control over what he eats. For example, a night shift can bring a bag with cheese, meat and fish sandwiches, fresh fruit, yogurt, boiled eggs, hummus, whole grain crackers, some dark chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, and fresh vegetable sticks.

Hydrating and then hydrating, keeping the body hydrated is extremely important in order to stay awake during the shift. Dehydration, even mild, can negatively affect concentration, alertness and short-term memory. Water remains the best moisturizer, but those who resort to replacing it with stimulant drinks, is a very bad option, because they simply disrupt the hydration process by inducing fluid to escape from the body through urination. If you don't like plain water, it can be replaced with other healthy drinks.

Refrain from consuming caffeine starting from the middle of the shift, because, that is, caffeine, can stay sailing in the body for a period oscillating from 4 to 8 hours, which prevents getting into a restful sleep when you get home.

Avoid eating large, heavy or spicy meals late in the shift because it is a heavy burden on the digestive system, eating too much food and drink before bedtime can unleash the occurrence of indigestion that makes sleep elusive. If you drink a lot of fluids, it causes you to wake up frequently in order to urinate, which affects the duration and quality of sleep.

Research has revealed that sleeping on an empty stomach leads to a rise in the hormone ghrelin, which prevents falling asleep or forces a person to wake up frequently in order to eat. It is advisable to have a snack and stay away from heavy meals.

Examples of night shift meals

Who works in a 10-hour shift from nine in the evening to seven in the morning

Example number one

Breakfast at 7: 30 am: strawberry porridge.

Snack at three in the afternoon: egg sandwich and salad. Whole grain bread.

Dinner at seven in the evening: grilled chicken. Boiled potatoes. Vegetables.

Snack number one at midnight: 50 grams of a mixture of nuts and apples.

Snack number 2 at 3 am: 200 g of low-fat yogurt.

Example number 2

Breakfast at 7: 30 am: eggs with whole grain toast. Coffee with low-fat milk.

Snack at 3 pm: tuna and bean salad. One medium-sized fruit.

Dinner at seven in the evening: grilled fish with grilled potatoes and salad.

Snack number one at midnight: chopped greens with chickpeas.

Snack number 2 at three in the morning: whole grain crackers with cheese.

Needless to say

There is no doubt that eating healthy and following a consistent exercise routine are very important for night shift workers, but it is imperative to prioritize good sleep by establishing a regular schedule that allows the worker to sleep 7-9 hours every day so that he can maintain his energy and the health of his body and mind.