Shift-Work Sleep Problems

Also known asShift Work · Night Shift · Shift Work Disorder · Night Shift Work · Rotating Shifts · 轮班工作 · 夜班

What it is

Shift work, especially night shifts and rotating shifts, forces you to be awake when the body clock expects sleep. It often causes poor sleep, daytime tiredness and, over the years, a higher risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and reflux. Eating at night is part of the problem: blood sugar handling is worse at night than in the day.

How food and lifestyle can help

Treat meal timing like part of your schedule. Eat your main meal before your shift or at its start, keep food on shift light and small, and keep your meal times as regular as you can on days off.

Foods and nutrients to focus on

1. A proper meal before or at the start of the shift, then light snacks on shift: fruit, a handful of nuts, yoghurt, wholegrain crackers or a boiled egg (nuts).
2. Water through the shift, and a light breakfast after the shift before sleeping, if hungry.
3. Meals prepared in advance, so you are not relying on vending machines or takeaways.

Foods and drinks to limit

1. Heavy, fatty, sugary or very spicy meals in the middle of the night.
2. Caffeine in the second half of the shift: stop at least 6 hours before you plan to sleep.
3. Alcohol to wind down, which damages sleep quality.

Good to know

1. Make the bedroom dark and quiet, and wear sunglasses on the way home to help your body clock.
2. Plan your sleep: a regular sleep window on work days, and a short nap before a night shift helps.
3. Be extra careful about drowsy driving on the way home: see Daytime Sleepiness.

When to see a doctor

1. Sleep problems or sleepiness that last more than a few weeks, or that cause near misses at work or when driving.
2. You gain weight quickly, or your blood sugar or blood pressure is rising.
3. Heartburn: see Reflux and Indigestion.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or take medicines, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

NHS — Sleep and tiredness, used for the main facts: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/