Gastrointestinal pathologies such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, bloating, altered bowel motions, and nausea are all common themes with shift workers. Light at night and dark during daylight, consuming food in the middle of the night, irregular sleep patterns, has all been shown to affect the circadian rhythm of the digestive system. As human beings we have evolved to be awake during the day and asleep during the night and our bodies are regulated by this circadian rhythm. This means our body is designed to do certain things during the day and at night, for example, hormone secretion, digestive enzymes, saliva production. This is our biology. Biologically, humans are primed to eat during the day, with gastrointestinal functions slowing down at night. Hence why there are so many digestive complaints amongst shift workers.

So what are you supposed to do? You need to eat, right?

Here are my nutrition tips to support our digestive system during night shift:

1. Consume liquid nutrition such as soups and smoothies. These meals are going to place minimal burden on the digestive system as they are already broken down.

2. Slow cooked casseroles. These are also partially broken down and will place minimal burden on the digestive system.

3. Low GI foods. Research has found that our pancreas doesn’t work as well during the night so it’s not able to manage our blood sugar levels as affectively. Low GI foods such as vegetables, nuts, seeds, healthy fats and certain fruits can help manage our blood sugar levels.

4. Consume healthy fats and protein. These help keep us fuller for longer and therefore prevent us from getting cravings for discretionary foods.

5. Avoid refined and processed foods such as lollies, cakes and biscuits. This will make your blood sugar levels skyrockets as the pancreas is not working optimally.

6. Avoid stimulants. These raise your adrenaline levels when your adrenaline levels are already raised due to limited sleep which can lead to high insulin and weight gain. Matcha tea has been shown to improve concentration.

7. Stay hydrated!

So I bet you’re thinking, all these tips are helpful, but how do I put them into action. Here are simple actionable steps to take:

1. After your shift and before sleeping have a small breakfast to help you sleep and stop you from waking up during your sleep due to hunger.

2. After your sleep have your lunch to provide you with energy.

3. Early in your shift have your dinner and have small low GI snacks during your shift.

a. Handful of unsalted nuts

b. A piece of fruit

c. Carrot sticks and hummus

d. Greek yoghurt

e. Hard boiled eggs

4. Prep your food in advance so you are ready for your shift and not going to resort to highly processed foods.