Eating For Shift Work Wellness - Right Snacks for Busy People

Any shift workers who has ever worked a late night or midnight shift knows what it's like to face the challenge of eating healthy. Going home really late in the evening or early in the morning after a long night shift just when others are getting up to start their day has challenges of its own. High blood pressure, disturbed sleep patterns, hormone imbalances, skin problems, are all the result of the constant disruption of our natural sleeping and waking cycle known as our circadian rhythm. Shift work can also disrupt healthy eating patterns and cause weight gain, weight loss, upset stomach, gastrointestinal function upset, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux and more.

Nurses and health care workers often face unique situations among shift workers. Long shifts, unexpected periods of stress, busy and very active periods of time, missing breaks, and working overtime can all add up to irregular eating habits and poor nutritional choices.

Trying to Eat 'Normally' in an Abnormal Situation

When a shift workers gets home, one of two things usually happens: the shift worker goes home and goes to sleep right away, or the shift workers stays up and goes to sleep later on, waking up just before work. Either way she is faced with the challenge of eating the right food at the right time. A lot of busy mother nurses will come home after a shift, send the kids to school, and then go to sleep. Hours later they will wake up and prepare dinner for the family. This scenario does sound easy enough, but in reality it can cause problems for the busy shift working mom's digestive system, as having a heavy dinner in place of what her body would consider breakfast can lead to an upset stomach.

What to Eat and When: Following Nature's Rhythm

Even if you are working through the night and are awake, by nature you should probably be asleep. Over night your body's digestion is slowing down. Fats are not digested as efficiently and your blood sugar is not regulated as easily as it is during the day. This is why it is important to adjust your eating according to how your body reacts naturally, and not to the shift you've been given to work. Here are some guidelines:

After your shift

If you are hungry after your return home from a night shift, having a small whole grain, low-fat snack is ideal. Toast or a low-sugar cereal is a good choice, as carbohydrates tend to help us fall asleep. Avoid heavy protein or fat-rich foods, which can not only disturb our tired digestion systems, but also keep us awake.

Before work

If you plan to have dinner before work, it is a good idea to eat dinner at as normal a time as possible, preferably around 6:00pm. This is a “normal” time of day for the body to process a large meal efficiently and without disturbing your digestion.

Eating during a late or midnight shift

It is important to remember that our body is normally expecting to be asleep in the middle of the night. While you may feel like you are used to working shift work, it really is not natural for you to be awake all evening. For shift workers, eating small, light meals at break or lunch time is essential. Choose foods that are low in fat, containing both lean protein and whole grain carbohydrates. A small salad, low-fat yogurt, or some fruit are also good choices that your body will welcome in the middle of the night shift. Foods that are high in sugar, salt or spices can also disturb your digestion and leave you with heartburn.

Other Healthy Eating Tips for Shift Workers:

Practice Portion Control

Before, during and after your shift, it would really help your overall digestive routine if you reduced the size of your portions. Your body is already working against its natural desire to sleep at night and be awake during the day as is, so taxing your body with big portions of heavy foods can make you feel sick. Keeping meals simple, natural, free of processed foods that contain a lot of sugar, additives, fat and spices as a general rule will help you maintain a feeling of wellness through out the day.

Brown Bag It! It Doesn't Take Long

Many hospitals with shift workers have cafeterias open around the clock. Others simply have machines with convenient snacks and sodas. It's far too easy to fall into the trap of grabbing an order of French fries at 3am on a lunch break, adding unwanted fat and calories to your already sluggish middle-of-the-night body functions. A better solution is to bring a healthy assortment of foods with you to have on your break. You'll treat your body better and save yourself some money at the same time! (Here is a link to a video by a night shift nurse packing a lunch.)

Avoid Caffeine and Sugar

A lot of shift workers turn to sugary sodas and caffeine to help boost their energy levels. While this may seem like a handy solution to those long yawn-filled nights, caffeine can actually work against your efforts to stay awake. Caffeine actually causes the kidneys to work harder to excrete water, which can lead to dehydration. When the body is dehydrated it can lead to feelings of exhaustion, poor concentration, headache and stomach upset. Caffeine can also linger in your body for up to 8 hours, making it hard for you to fall asleep when you get home.

Think tea is a better solution? Think again. Unless the tea you purchase is specifically labeled as caffeine-free, you may be getting more caffeine in that cup of tea than if you had a cup of coffee. An example of this is green tea. Many green teas are loaded with caffeine, so it is important to make sure you are purchasing a caffeine-free brand.

Eating healthy while working different shifts can be a challenge, but with a few simple strategies you can make better choices that you will feel good about.