Our internal clock or ‘circadian rhythm’ tells us when to rise and sleep. When we work shifts we have to take care to plan our mealtimes and food intake a little more.

Because out eating patterns are altered by working shifts you might experience:

– Constipation, diarrhoea, gas, indigestion, heartburn or stomach ulcers

– Altered appetite

– Weight gain or weight loss

These may occur because of a number of reasons-

– Eating in a rush

– Eating alone without family and friends

– Having too much caffeine from coffee, tea, colas or chocolate to help you to stay awake

– Eating poorly during the day and then over-eating on the night shift, at a time when digestive processes are slowed

Hints and tips:

– Portion control. Have you ever tried having smaller snacks instead of a large meal during the night to avoid becoming too sleepy? If you have had a large meal at the usual time for dinner, you may end up overeating if you pack another full meal to eat throughout the night.

– Preparation. Packing a protein based snack/ meal at home to help you eat well on your shift will help you keep your energy levels up. Protein foods keep us alert.

– Some ideas – baked beans on toast, fruit and nuts, crumpets and peanut butter, fruit loaf, fresh fruit, low fat yogurt, granary bread as sandwiches or toasted with chicken/ham/cheese/egg/fish filling, oatcakes and peanut butter, sultana teacakes, cucumber/carrots/pepper and houmous – just watch your portion sizes.

– Drink plenty of fluid, dehydration can leave you feeling tired. Try to sip water regularly.

– Go easy on caffeine. Caffeine can remain in your body and promote alertness for up to 8 hours after you have consumed it. Have your caffeine at the start of your shift and then switch to decaffeinated drinks or water.

– Have a small snack before sleep. It can be difficult to fall asleep if you are too hungry or too full. Before bedtime, you could try to have a small bowl of cereal (sultana bran, all bran, weetabix, cornflakes, shreddies, rice krispies, shredded wheat, porridge, muesli). Try to restrict alcohol and caffeine before bed.

– Sugary and fatty foods can make you feel more tired, try to limit these during shifts.