Nutrition for night shift workers

Working night shifts regularly changes and disrupts the body clock. The body gradually adapts, but people still suffer from poor sleep and constantly feel tired, stressed and sluggish. So the question many people ask is: what should night shift workers eat and drink to avoid harming their health and stay healthy? Let's find the answer with STAVI Industrial Catering!

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1. A sensible diet and meal timing

For night shift workers, the shift usually runs from 10 pm to 6 am, when the body needs plenty of calories to function, so besides dinner they need extra nutrition from night meals. In particular, staying up at night burns a great deal of energy, so it is necessary to provide plenty of high-quality protein foods such as lean meat, shrimp, fish, eggs, and soy and dairy products. The protein in food provides an abundant source of energy for the body to function and contains large amounts of essential amino acids. In addition, sour or spicy vegetables can be added to stimulate the appetite and suit individual tastes.

Image: Workers on the night shift

In the evening, before the night shift

To be in the best physical condition when starting a night shift, workers' meals should include protein-rich foods. Note: eat less fat and more fresh fruit and vegetables to avoid bloating and indigestion at night. 

To stay alert, you can drink a cup of coffee in the evening at around 8 to 9 pm, which helps keep the mind sharper and holds off early drowsiness. But you should not drink coffee from around 1 to 2 am onwards, because the effect of coffee sometimes lasts more than 5 hours and will make it hard to sleep after the shift, affecting sleep quality.

Workers' meal before the night shift

The mid-shift meal

The mid-shift meal is very important for night shift workers, as it both eases hunger and keeps the body in an active state, preventing drowsiness. However, it should only be a small meal of starchy foods with a little protein and little fat. 

Eat 1 to 2 small meals during the shift, because working at night makes you feel hungry quickly. At night, avoid greasy or dairy-heavy foods, which make you feel sluggish and unable to work. They also make it very hard to sleep right after the shift because the body is still active and digesting.

In the morning, after the shift

After the shift, have a light breakfast and do not eat too much, because being too hungry or too full will both affect your sleep. Choose soft foods that are easy and quick to digest such as rice porridge, rice noodles or bread, but avoid foods high in refined sugar, which stimulate the nervous system and make sleep difficult. 

Avoid instant noodles, which heat up the body and are not good for health.

2. Limit the overuse of stimulants

• Many people overuse coffee, energy drinks or smoke to stay awake and avoid dozing off during the night shift, but all of these drinks and tobacco are harmful to health. Drink only 2 cups of coffee a day, and limit energy drinks because they contain a lot of colouring and sugar.

• Energy drinks only provide a stimulating effect at that moment and an instant energy boost thanks to their high sugar content. However, long-term use overloads the liver and kidneys and can easily lead to diabetes.

• Heavy smoking leads to a high risk of chronic lung disease, lung cancer, lack of oxygen to the brain and so on, so stay away from it.

• If you feel hungry or sleepy, wash your face or move your body, talk to the people around you to relieve stress and reduce drowsiness, and have a little sweet fruit, milk, cake, dairy products or tea (1 to 2 cups a day).

3. Eat light snacks and drink enough water

• Eating a moderate snack during the night shift will not make you gain weight, but if you eat extra junk food and drink energy drinks to fight drowsiness beyond your energy needs, you will become overweight or obese.

Image: Light snack during night work

• Only snack when you feel the main meal was not enough, and instead choose low-sugar fruit, unsweetened milk or soy milk.

• Drink enough water so that the body always has the strength to work and to boost the immune system. Working continuously at night burns a lot of energy as well as body water, so you need to rehydrate adequately to avoid fatigue.

4. Rest regularly and exercise often

• During night work, if you feel too sleepy, stop to exercise or walk around and step outside for some fresh air. For jobs that strain the eyes, balance work with 40 minutes on and a 10-minute break so the eyes can rest and feel less tired, and massage your eyes with your hands to relax them. Or take a short nap on the spot for a few minutes whenever possible. Most companies have a mid-shift break and a place to rest, so take the chance to sleep for a while to ease fatigue and regain your working spirit.

• Keep up the habit of exercising 30 minutes a day (these 30 minutes can be split into short 10-minute sessions), regularly 4 to 5 times a week, to improve blood circulation, benefit the cardiovascular system and increase concentration while working and moving your limbs.

• Night shift workers have to catch up on sleep during the day, so they need to arrange a sensible sleep schedule, ensuring 8 hours of sleep a day so that health is not affected.

• Everyone has different sleep needs and hours, but it is recommended not to sleep less than 6 hours. When sleeping, choose a cool, quiet, dark room to fall asleep more easily and sleep better, waking up feeling alert and refreshed.

• Depending on the shift and workload, arrange your sleep, rest and exercise time accordingly. Those new to night shifts who are not yet used to the change in schedule should draw up the most scientific eating and rest timetable possible. If the timetable you follow is not working, and your body feels tired or you are losing weight, you need to adjust it.

We hope that with the above tips from STAVI you have been able to adjust your menu to suit your night shift. Working night shifts regularly can disrupt the circadian rhythm, so we need to pay attention to our health and build a sensible diet.

STAVI Industrial Catering specialises in providing industrial catering services for lunch, evening and night shifts for workers at factories and plants. If you are looking for a reputable industrial catering provider, contact STAVI for advice and support.

Note: The information in this article is for reference only; please consult a doctor, pharmacist or medical professional for specific advice.