Working in night shifts can be very cumbersome for your body. Shift work and erratic schedule have been associated with numerous health issues like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Therefore figuring out a way to deal with it becomes very pivotal. The body repairs and reconditions itself during night and that is a natural mechanism. But when we work in the night it goes against the nature. These 7 tips will help you remain fit and healthy even if you have asymmetrical schedule:
Carry your own food at work
Working the night shift might limit your available alternatives because most businesses are shut at that time, which leaves you open to the vending machines or junk food at work. Therefore it gets very challenging to search for food which can fill your stomach and is healthy as well. So carry your own food at work place as this will also be undemanding for you to eat during your shift. This is also very feasible in respect to availability of food, comfort and limitation of time at the work place.
Take proper sleep for good health
Night shift is directly connected to sleep deprivation. Some people are comfortable with working in night shifts whereas many others have to deal with issues like insomnia, fatigue and restlessness. Let us get one basic fact right that our body is adapted to sleep during night time and stay awake in the day. The body is managed by a circadian pacemaker, during loss of daylight a hormone called Melatonin releases which induces your sleep and reduces your concentration.
Therefore it is a natural process for you to feel sleepy throughout the day as you were alert whole night. It is important for you to stick to a systematic sleep routine, don’t procrastinate your sleep once you reach home. Fix your timings from getting a dedicated sleep for 7 to 8 hours. The room should be dark; the sunlight can disrupt your sleep.
Restrict your caffeine consumption
During night shifts, our caffeine consumption increases as we are trying to combat sleep and thanks to tea/coffee vending available round the corner. This is actually your biggest enemy if you are working in night shifts. The high sugar content and prolonged absorption of tea and coffee might interfere with your sleep cycle. This will deteriorate your health in the long run.
Drink tea/coffee for enjoyment and not out of an urge. Don’t give lame excuses like I am working in a night shift therefore it is okay to load my system with caffeine. As and when you feel sleepy or tired drink a glass of water, limit your intake of tea/coffee or other caffeine products.
Say No to Junk
When mind is not alert, a person tends to eat more of fast food. This is actually a concern because one feels hungry most of the time when sleepy. Food is also used as distraction to combat drowsiness. Fill your kitchen with whole grain food items, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs etc. Avoid processed and packaged food products like chips, bakery items, white bread and food high in GI level (low in fiber).
Remember one thing junk food, high sugar drinks are merely empty calories. Grabbing a fast food seems to be easiest option but this will make you more lethargic as the nutrition value is very low. This will make you gain weight and put you on a risk of heart disease.
No excuse for not exercising
A shift job can’t be an excuse for not exercising, infact if one can follow a routine and a healthy lifestyle; people with erratic schedule have a privilege to go to the gym during odd timings when there is hardly anyone exercising. If you don’t want to join a gym, go for walks or take stairs, walk and talk while on the phone, do some yoga at home. See, it is all about how seriously you take your health. I know several people using shift job as a tool for not working out.
Another important thing is check your Vitamin D frequently as people in night shifts are not exposed to daylight. Lack of Vitamin D can have many damaging health related issues.
Avoid eating heavy during night
The most important thing is stop thinking that you are in a night shift. Take it as a normal day and night routine. The way you eat in a regular shift, stick to that pattern. The digestion process of the body slows down during the night and the metabolic rate is also very low. Always try to follow regular eating hours for good health.
Eating food in the night shouldn’t be treated as a source of entertainment and this will also make you grumpy and sleepy, if you eat too much during night it can lead to weight gain or obesity. Even after your shift is over, eat a healthy and a light meal before you go to sleep.
Excess of sleep during weekends
This is the common practice most people follow and you must have heard too from many people that during the weekend they kept sleeping trying to cover up the pending sleep. How is it possible? Sleep is necessary every day. So trying to convince yourself that sleeping more on the weekends would make up for lost time or store additional sleep for productive days ahead is a waste of time.
There is no way to make up for lost sleep; it is lost. If you sleep a lot during weekends, this will induce your fatigue level as it will create a perception of over-tiredness. Any notable change in your sleep cycle either less or more sleep can distress the normal sleep pattern.
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