SG KE TOI Healthy diet for the night shift

Nutrition is vital if you are on a night shift. Sheela Krishnaswamy has some advice for those who work through the night

With the advent of the BPO industry, the awareness levels on change in work timings and all the changes that go with working in different shifts have rapidly increased.Since most of the BPOs’ client companies are based in the West, the work starts in the afternoon or late evening and extends until mid-night or dawn. Unfortunately, the dietary excesses, lack of physical activity, reduced sleep hours and unmanaged stress have put tremendous pressure on the overall health of night shift workers. While the tendency is to blame the industry for the diminishing health of night shift workers, the individual employees also need to take more care with their lifestyle habits.

Let’s face it – working in night shifts is not a new concept in India. From factory workers to security staff, from hospital nurses to hotel employees, night shifts have been as regular as their day shifts.

It has been seen that in the BPO sector, almost 80 percent of the employees are physically inactive, about 25 percent of them smoke (gender non-specific),many have poor dietary habits and approximately 50 percent are moving towards overweight and central obesity. As a result, gastrointestinal problems like heartburn,hyperacidity etc are more prevalent in night shift workers.Alongside,the risks of type 2 diabetes,heart disease and other lifestyle-related problems is also on the rise with a large number of youngsters already carrying a family history of such diseases.

Sometimes, the food available to them is not healthy and nutritious. Night shift workers have to make do with whatever they get in their cafeteria – foods range from fast foods to chaats, beverages to biscuits, snacks to sweets. Many of the dishes are calorie dense and low in nutrition; high in fat, sugar and sodium, and low in fiber. Though these foods satisfy the tastebuds, they don’t satisfy hunger and health.

Night shift workers will experience hunger in spite of eating a meal at the beginning of their shift, if they don’t eat adequate amounts of fiber and carbohydrates. Stress can also increase appetite and cause a craving for sugary foods. Many are unaware about healthy meal plans.Even though some companies provide several food options to their employees, many employees are poorly informed about nourishing their bodies and minds.

Does the food pattern vary much from the regular intake of day shift workers? No. The night shift worker needs to get used to the fact that nightfall is when his day begins.

Here are some tips to keep a night shift worker healthy:

Change in work timings affects circadian rhythms, which similar to jet lag, and disrupts the sleepwake schedule. This happens when shift workers modify their timings every now and then. What you eat can affect your sleep. One of the keys to a restful night’s sleep is to get the brain calmed rather than agitated. Tryptophan is a precursor of the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin.It’s important to get adequate amounts of tyrptophan through your diet. For better sleep, tryptophan-rich foods like milk,curd,oats,bananas, dry dates, peanuts, fish, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds are useful. Avoid coffee, tea, chocolate, aerated drinks,alcohol,smoking,and vigorous exercise 2-3 hours before sleep.

Here’s a sample meal plan for night shift workers.

Get your individualized meal plan prepared by a qualified nutritionist:

(The author is a nutrition consultant)