Weight Management Tips for Rotational Shift Workers

Nov - 19 | Add comments.

Filed under : Healthy Living

An estimate 1 among 3 people employed in Canada are into shift work and in case you are one like them, you’re perhaps facing challenges for eating healthful. There is a greater tendency and expediency in hitting those vending machines for fuelling our bodies with cupfuls of caffeine – a habit which is never a good move for a healthy body.

Still for individuals working graveyard & rotational shifts, healthful consumption holds paramount importance since studies have found that people in shift work have a higher chance of developing sleep disturbance, hypertension, type II diabetes, cardiovascular ailment, metabolic syndrome among other conditions. Shift work is even associated with digestion problems like unsettled stomach, ulcer formations & heart burn.

In comparison to people working in regular daytime jobs, shift work employees have a greater likelihood of suffering weight issues because of pitiable food options, erratic and non-regular consumption habits & augmented calorific intakes. Dieticians mostly advice some people on eating normal day meal times, snacking at regular time intervals during shift time & eating a good meal prior to hitting the sack.

Also, working during unusual hours hampers lifestyles, hinders circadian rhythm of our bodies which leads to hormonal imbalance and making one more prone to eating unhealthy food during work hours.

Here are some weight management tips for eliciting improved sleep patterns, maintaining ideal weight & staying healthy.

Adhering to normal meal patterns whenever possible and starting the day (irrespective of work-shift) by eating protein-rich meal for an energy boost and maintaining alertness. Stated simply, the foremost meal post-sleep must be king-sized meal of your day. One should then be shifting to carb-based meals when sleep time nears like pastas, veggies stir-fired, brown rice as they simplify digestion & promote enhanced slumber. The final meal for the day or dinner must be light. One should be eating in a slow manner which allows time for food to get digested. In case doable, scheduling a meal with one’s kin on a daily basis during work days.
Protein get digested slowly hence sticking to light choices pre & post work like fishes, eggs (white part), less-fat milk products, turkey, bean (chickpea, lentil, kidney bean), chicken & soya which help in reducing bad cholesterol. Steer clear from heavily spiced foods like sauce, heavy spiced meat dishes, dressing for salad & foods post-seasoning could cause irritation of the abdominal lining. Also choosing non-processed meat items, olive oil, vinegar-based dressing & light sauce in case possible.
Having light snacks at the time of work shift is advisable like ones less in saturated fats, salt & with less GI which don’t cause a sudden spike in blood glucose levels. Intake of dry fruits, fruits, curds, veggies, multigrain cracker, partially skimmed & cottage varieties of cheeses, fruits, less-salt veggie juices, berry & grounded flaxseeds are good weight management tips for shift workers.
Do remember to carry something healthy to eat from home like moderate-sized lunch & something light to eat for the night time meal alongside some healthful snack items for those working in noon shifts while a graveyard shift worker could get something light for the night time meal along with some snacks.
Proscribe tedium munching. Simply since foods are at close proximity does not essentially have to involuntarily go in your mouth. Also just a few chocolate pieces munched do eventually end up on your waist and hips. So prior to reaching for that alluring treat at work, do a self-probe as to whether hunger is actually being felt and in case so, then, go for a healthful snack instead.
Make it a point to maintain optimal hydration levels by continually sipping on water all through the shift timing to avert weariness and feeling constipated. Drinking water frequently would also lessen the craving for snacking on unwholesome foods. Males require thirteen cups or 3 litres water daily whereas females require 9 cupfuls or close to 2.5 litres water daily.
Excessive caffeine consumed during the later part of shift could avert sound slumber post-work. Hence steer clear from caffeine-based drinks like colas or teas, coffees for 4-6 hours prior to your shift time ending.
Doing twenty to thirty minutes long workout pre-shift would help improve attentiveness during work. Studies have additionally indicated that exercising pre-work in comparison to not exercising has been linked to lesser blood pressure all through the graveyard shift.