How to manage shiftwork

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Shiftwork is hard on the body and mind. It disrupts the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner routine and eating at irregular hours can cause digestive issues and weight gain

When it comes to food, there’s a reason we opt for leftover cheesecake instead of a celery stick when we get the midnight munchies. A study at the University of SA Centre for Sleep Research found people who snooze less are more likely to snack on sweet treats.

Despite the findings, it is possible to stay healthy and on track regardless of your working hours. Try our rules for eating and sleeping to help you stay on top of your health at work:

The rules for eating

☛ Eat meals according to the time of day, not your shift. This timing is more suited to how the body is designed to metabolise foods.
☛ Limit energy-dense foods between midnight and 6am.
☛ Avoid large meals one or two hours before you sleep. Instead, have a small meal after clocking off, to avoid waking up due to hunger.
☛ Have a high-protein snack late at night when you start to feel tired. It’ll keep your blood glucose balanced when your body is programmed to sleep.
☛ Plan your snacks proactively rather than reactively to what your workmates bring to work.
☛ Keep hydrated, primarily with water or diluted fruit or vegetable juices.
☛ Do a big cook-up at the beginning of the week and freeze meals, or have some pre-prepared salads ready to go. And use frozen vegetables.

The rules for sleeping

☛ After a night shift, try to have breakfast as soon as possible so you give yourself time to digest the food before bed. It’ll give you a better quality sleep.
☛ Avoid caffeine in the second half of your shift because it stays in your system for about eight hours and can disrupt your sleep.
☛ Keep naps short: between 15 and 30 minutes. Any longer and the sleep becomes too deep, making it hard to wake and leaving you groggy for the rest of your shift.
☛ Wear dark glasses home from work and avoid bright light in the morning. It’ll help you adapt your circadian sleep-wake cycle to a different time schedule.
☛ Try to stay awake in the day and sleep during the night, similar to the recommendations for jet lag, when changing from night shift to day shift or days off.

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