Eat a snack, not full meal; to stay productive in night shifts

New Delhi: If you are a night shift worker, eating at irregular hours is just par for the course, but it impacts the body. To limit this impact and maintain alertness and productivity, researchers say a light snack is better than a full meal.

According to researchers, working at night conflicts with a person's circadian clock, making it harder to stay focused and awake. Managing fatigue is thus critical for workplace health and safety.

"Night shift work is linked to certain chronic illnesses and diseases, including metabolic gastrointestinal issues, ulcer, obesity and heart disease. People who do night shifts don't get sufficient sleep, which impacts their metabolism and appetite," Shalini Bliss, Head Dietitian, Columbia Asia Hospital, in Gurugram, told IANS.

"They also tend to have a poor diet and irregular eating habits, which can affect their health and performance. If you are doing night shift, you should eat a small protein-rich, complex carb snack instead of a full meal during the break," she said.