Shift workers often eat on the job due to boredom or tiredness. These habits can wreak havoc with their weight-loss plan because there is generally less access to nutritious meals at night. And, again, nature is working against you: When you're sleep deprived, you're more likely to crave food high in fat and calories. Also, when your lacking sleep, your body ends up with a surplus of glucose, which contributes to weight gain.
Being aware of these factors is the first step in sticking to healthy habits. While there are no specific foods proven to help you relax, the best foods for shift workers are the healthy, balanced choices that are best for anybody. The National Sleep Foundation recommends not going to bed too full or too hungry — either feeling could keep you awake.
If you drink caffeine, do so as early as possible in your shift. Why? The same amount of caffeine taken too close to bedtime was found in a study at the University of Montréal to be even more disruptive to daytime sleepers than to nighttime sleepers.
Many shift workers unwind with an alcoholic drink after work to help them slide into slumber. While it may seem to help, it actually causes you to sleep less soundly. Instead, try aromatherapy, suggests Alan R. Hirsch, MD, FACP, founder and neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. His studies have found scents like lavender, vanilla, green apple and cucumber promote relaxation. You can get the soothing effect with essential oils, sliced fruit or even an open shampoo bottle — synthetic scents work just as well as natural ones.
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