By Yash Sharma, Jun 24, 2017
Note- This article addresses the basic leakages in the lifestyle of nightshift workers. These leakages are primarily- sleep cycle disturbance, eating irregularity and lack of physical activity.
Classic advice- Why don’t you eat healthy & burst your ass in the gym.
Classic answer- My shift doesn’t allow me to do anything.
Welcome to the new age. People now work at nights and sleep during the day. From call center employees to IT brain bags, almost everybody is pulling graveyard shifts. It’s not entirely their fault. International working culture is like that. While the money coming in might be alluring, working night shifts spell doom on the body. If you are working night shifts and look like a bean bag instead of a human, this article is for you.
Understand Why Sleeping On Time Is So Important
The human body needs to relax and cool down when the sun goes down and spring back into action with daylight. That’s called the circadian rhythm. Our ancestors traveled and hunted during the day and slept at night. That’s built into out genetic structure. Working night shifts misaligns the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which results in poor sleep. Both of these lead to chronic fatigue, eating disorders, worsening mood, and insulin resistance.
So, What The Hell Should I Do?
Our goal will be to create an environment for the body that mimics daytime working (that your body is programmed for by default) as much as possible. That’s it. It may sound simple but it will take a serious commitment from your side.
Step 1- Sort Out Your SLEEP
Nightshift Call Centre Worker? This Article Is The Holy Grail Of Fat Loss And Wellbeing For You
Quality sleep is crucial for any person’s health. Whether you’re a pro athlete, a weekend warrior or a night shift worker, you need solid 6-8 hours of sleep to function optimally. Multiple studies have shown that people who don’t get good sleep tend to overeat, which can result in obesity. To ensure you’re active and alert during your working hours and immediately fall asleep after your night shift ends, here are certain things you can do –
1) Add additional lighting to your workstation. 1 or 2 reading lamps facing your face are enough. If you can find lights with a slightly blue tint it’s even better.
2) After your shift ends, avoid blue light (sunlight, led/fluorescent lights). Put sunscreens on your car windows, wear dark sunglasses as you leave for home and maintain a slightly dark environment at your place. Avoid using stimulating electronic gadgets like the PlayStation, mobile and laptops. If you really have to, run an app in the background that removes bright-blue light.
· iPhone users- Turn night shift ON
· Android users- download the Twilight app
· Laptop/Desktops users- download f.lux app
Bright blue light suppresses the body’s normal melatonin production, which is the hormone that controls your sleep. Darkness stimulates it. Making these lighting adjustments will trick your mind into believing that it’s day during your working hours and night, as your shift ends. Consequently, this will help you become more active and focused during your shifts, and create conditions for quality sleep after it ends.
Step 2: NUTRITION
Nightshift Call Centre Worker? This Article Is The Holy Grail Of Fat Loss And Wellbeing For You
Research has found that night shift workers consume more snacks throughout their shift which might be overshooting their overall caloric intake, causing excess fat deposition. This has also been my observation, working with night shift clients. It is best to structure your meals like a normal day worker with slight alterations. Here’s how you can do it-
1) Breakfast: The meal you’ll be consuming after your shift ends before sleeping. As opposed to the general norm, keep your breakfast light. As a heavy breakfast will not allow you to sleep immediately after consuming it. An easy digesting fruit like banana or mango with some liquid calories like milk, a protein shake or a mass gainer shake is a good choice.
2) Lunch: After you wake up. This meal can be relatively heavy. A good amount of carbohydrates combined with protein and fats should make up this meal. If you choose to workout, keep this meal as your pre-workout.
3) Evening Snack (optional): Low-calorie fruits like watermelons, sweet lime, oranges etc are good options for this time. If you like to consume tea, ensure you do not binge eat biscuits or other snacks along with it.
4) Dinner: Meal before leaving for work. This should be the heaviest meal of your day, fill it with a decent amount of complex carbohydrates, a good chunk of fibre along with protein and fats. The reason I’m suggesting this meal be the heaviest is that it needs to supply you with energy for the next 8-10 hours. It’ll also make certain that you leave home feeling satiated and don’t eat chips, chocolates, doughnuts and all the other packaged shit available at your office cafeteria.
Snacking During Office Hours
Dry fruit nuts are the ultimate snack options for office hours. Being calorie dense, it will give you sustainable energy to work and the high fibre content will satisfy your hunger pangs.
Step 3: EXERCISING
Nightshift Call Centre Worker? This Article Is The Holy Grail Of Fat Loss And Wellbeing For You
Working out 6 days a week in the gym like a bodybuilder might not be feasible for you but don’t blame your shift for the lack of physical activity. Include weight training 2-3 days a week combined with light intensity activities like swimming, jogging, a game of badminton or even a brisk walk. The perfect time for you to exercise would be few hours before leaving for work. Endorphins and dopamine hormones released prior to exercising will make you feel more proactive. Additionally, the greatest thing you can do to shed those extra pounds is to walk and move a lot during your office hours. Always take the stairs and after every 30 minutes, stroll around and have a glass of water. This burns more calories than you can imagine.
Step 4: SUPPLEMENTATION
Nightshift Call Centre Worker? This Article Is The Holy Grail Of Fat Loss And Wellbeing For You
I always talk about supplements last because they’re are secondary to exercise, sleep and a healthy diet. Mentioned below are the supplements recommended for night shift workers:
1) Melatonin- to manage body’s melatonin and circadian rhythm.
2) Zinc & Magnesium Supplement- to maintain a deep sleep.
(Kindly consult your physician before using these two.)
3) Vitamin D- as you barely get any sunlight exposure.
4) Protein Powders- To fulfil your protein intake, in case you can’t do a lot of cooking.
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