What to eat when working at night?

Working shifts increases the chances of developing problems such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, digestive problems and depression because irregular hours can compromise the adequate production of hormones.

Those who work shifts also need to eat 5 or 6 meals a day, without skipping any meals, and must adapt to their working hours. Furthermore, it is necessary to avoid excess caffeine 3 hours before bed to avoid damaging your sleep, in addition to eating light meals so that the body can go into deep sleep and rest well.

Find out how to improve sleep for those who work shifts.

What to eat before starting work

Before starting work, you must have a complete meal, which provides energy and nutrients for the workday. At this time, you can also drink caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, to keep your body active. Examples of meals before work according to the schedule are:

• Breakfast: 1 glass of milk with unsweetened coffee + 1 whole grain bread sandwich with boiled egg and a slice of cheese + 1 banana;
• Lunch: 1 serving of soup + 120 g of grilled steak + 3 tablespoons of brown rice + 3 tablespoons of beans + 2 cups of raw salad or 1 cup of cooked vegetables + 1 fruit for dessert
• To have lunch: 130 g of baked fish + boiled potatoes + sautéed salad with vegetables and chickpeas + 1 dessert fruit

Before starting work, you can also drink coffee at the end of the meal or during the first hours of work. Those who arrive home in the early afternoon can choose to have lunch at work or have 2 snacks in the morning and have lunch as soon as they get home, it is important not to go more than 4 hours without eating anything.

What to eat while working

In addition to the main meal, the person needs to have at least 1 or 2 snacks during work, depending on the shift they are working, which should include foods such as:

• 1 glass of natural yogurt + wholemeal bread with butter, hummus, guacamole or peanut butter;
• 1 glass of fruit salad with flaxseed;
• 1 serving of protein, such as chicken or turkey, low-fat cheese, eggs or tuna, and a raw or cooked vegetable salad;
• 1 cup of coffee with skimmed milk + 4 whole grain toast;
• 1 cup of gelatin;
• 1 handful of dried fruits;
• 1 serving of fruit;
• 1 or 2 medium pancakes (prepared with banana, egg, oats and cinnamon) with peanut butter or 1 slice of white cheese.

Shift workers should strive to have regular eating, sleeping, and waking times. Maintaining a routine will make the body function well, properly absorbing the nutrients ingested and maintaining weight.

Here are some healthy snack options to eat at night:

What to eat before bed

When a person has worked all night, before going to sleep it is important to have a light but nutritious breakfast so that the intestine is not too active and the body can rest better.

Ideally, this meal should be eaten about 1 hour before bed, be low in fat, contain protein and be low in calories, with around 200 calories. Some examples are:

• Skimmed yogurt with wholemeal bread with low-fat white cheese;
• Skimmed milk with Maria biscuits and a fruit;
• 2 boiled or scrambled eggs with wholemeal bread;
• Fruit smoothie with 2 pieces of whole grain toast with 1 dessert spoon of butter or peanut butter.

Workers who sleep during the day should choose a quiet, dark place so that the body can fall into a deep sleep. It is also important to avoid drinking coffee 3 hours before bed, so that caffeine does not cause insomnia.

Other nutritional recommendations

Other advice that is also important for night shift workers or those who work shifts are:

• Bring a lunch box with food and a meal from home, this will help to select healthier options, since as food service or snack bars are usually limited during night shifts, there will be less risk of opting for unhealthy options;
• Try to choose appropriate portions, as it may be interesting to consume small portions, instead of a fuller meal during the night shift. This will help prevent weight gain and avoid sleep;
• Maintain regular fluid consumption to stay hydrated during the workday;
• Avoid consuming soft drinks or drinks high in sugar, as well as sweets and foods rich in fat, as these could make the person feel more tired and encourage weight gain;
• If it is difficult to eat a meal during your work shift, it is recommended to bring easy and practical meals. that you can have on hand, so you can avoid skipping meals. Therefore, it may be interesting to have dried fruit, an apple or a small package of cream crackers in your bag.

In addition to diet, it is also important to practice physical activity at least 3 times a week, as this will help maintain an adequate weight and avoid illnesses.

If you have any doubts, the ideal is to seek guidance from a nutritionist so that a nutritional plan can be created adapted to your needs, taking into account working hours, eating habits and other parameters that are important for having a healthy and balanced diet. .