Read this - highly recommended if you are a night shift BPO/IT guy... Trust me!
New work culture, odd hours of work, a fast paced lifestyle – this is the trend of the present day.
Tens of thousands of young Indians have converted day into night and night into day to meet the business requirements of American and European companies. These employees of the $1.5 billion call center industry are young and they consider working in the night as ‘cool’.
While the BPO industry is a lucrative option for these English-speaking professionals, the entire work culture can wreak havoc on their body system. Long hours of work along with a hectic work schedule; have put an increasing number of young professionals burning the midnight oil at risk of major health disorders.
Night work disturbs the circadian rhythm in the human body. This is an internal body clock that is synchronized to a 24-hour period. It regulates a number of physiological functions such as body temperature, hormone secretion, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion and mental alertness.
Night shift workers are at a higher risk of having health problems because this internal clock is disturbed. Common complaints faced by them are either gastrointestinal or cosmetic. The complaints range from malnutrition, heartburn, stomach aches, ulcers and a general sense of fatigue or stress to cosmetic changes like weight gain and premature graying.
Oil-rich samosas, kachoris, masala dosas, channa bhatura, vadas, bondas and pulau with paneer in thick gravy seem to be the preferred edibles of the young call center employees in India today. Such food in the long run would cause early physiological changes. This is like inviting obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases.
Good nutrition is important for everyone but healthy food choices can make a difference in how night shift workers relate to their activities on and off the job. Whether eating from the cafeteria vending machine or grabbing take-out food or munching in the car on your way to work, healthy choices are to be made. A well-balanced diet is a must.
Here are some tips to make a healthy change in your diet:
Have food on a regular schedule: It pays to keep to a regular eating schedule, even if your working hours change from day to day. Shift workers have twice as high a rate of ulcers as day workers. It is because they do not eat at traditional meal times and eat junk food or other snacks that are quick and convenient.
It is easier on your stomach to eat at the same times everyday. Adding an extra meal or missing a meal can have consequences for your nutrient intake and weight.
Wake up diet: Often it so happens that proper food is not available when you are awake and ready to eat. Have an evening tea or one glass of milk (cold or hot) with light food like poha, bhelpuri etc., to leave room for the main meal later.
Go for a walk when it is still bright and feel the sunshine on you. By working at night the night shift worker misses out on sunshine, which is essential for absorption of certain nutrients like calcium and magnesium. Short brisk walk on most days can always help you stay alert on the job. It also keeps your body in tip-top shape.
Avoid eating heavy after midnight: Avoid your main meal after midnight on night shifts. They not only make you feel drowsy, the body naturally slows down then so your body won’t digest the food properly. So, having your big meal at the start of your work schedule (before midnight) is ideal. If this is not an option, split your meal into two smaller meals.
Try to have the main meal with the family before leaving for the work. Relax while eating and allow time for proper digestion. Eating in a rush, in solitude without company of family or friends can cause gastrointestinal disorders.
Include variety of foods like bread and cereals, fruit and vegetables, legumes (baked beans, dried peas etc.,), and small amounts of fats and oils. To intensify alertness throughout the shift it is advised to eat proteins such as lean meat, fish, fowl and low fat dairy products.
Take nutritious snacks to work: Snacks are very important in helping you stay energized throughout the night. Pack an apple, orange, nuts, fruit bread or dried fruits. Protein foods like hard-boiled eggs, low fat yogurt and peanut chikki can help you stay awake. Alter the time you eat these petite meals to suit your shift. They will benefit you in preventing sluggishness throughout the night.
Eat breakfast: A wholesome breakfast is to be eaten in exactly the same way, as everyone would have every morning. Before going to bed in the morning after a night shift, have a moderate breakfast so one will not wake up due to hunger or be kept awake because of fullness. Cereal with milk and fruits or two phulkas with dal and vegetables should do. This small amount of food will stop excess acid from circulating in your stomach while you sleep. Alternately, you can also eat a light sandwich, to avoid adding on calories, which don’t get burnt while sleeping.
Hey, Watch That FAT: Recent research links an increase in cardiovascular risk with night shift work. Keeping your blood cholesterol level under control is a key factor in reducing the risk of heart disease. Choose lower-fat foods and use low-fat cooking methods. Soluble fiber rich foods, such as oats, barley, beans, flaxseeds and soy protein can lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. Consume low-fat dairy products, such as non-fat yogurt and skim milk.
Increase fluid and fiber intake: Lack of fluids can lead to dehydration, leading to headaches, dry skin and nasal irritation and cramps making you more susceptible to colds, coughs, sore throats and the flu. Choose teas, herbal teas and push up your water intake. However, limit fluids before sleep.
If you don’t increase the fiber intake, the bowel can become slow moving and get out of rhythm on shift work. Include high fibrous foods such as dried figs, pears, raisins, whole-wheat products etc., and experiment to determine which time of the day suits your gut. Fruits like banana, papaya and pineapple heal constipation.
Cut back on highly seasoned foods: Always avoid spicy foods. For many people, spicy meats, sauces, salad dressings and hot pickles can aggravate gastric secretion, leading to hyperacidity and heartburn which in turn trigger indigestion. Choose mild sauces, vinegar salad dressings and unseasoned meats to play-safe.
Avoid late-night caffeine: Caffeine, the shift worker’s companion stimulates the central nervous system and increases the attentiveness. Have caffeinated drinks (coffee, cola drinks etc.,) before your shift or early during your shift. Avoid too much coffee late in your shift – it can make it hard for you to fall asleep after you get home. It can also aggravate gastric secretions, digestive problems and increase blood pressure. A tall glass of water is a healthy substitute – one that also helps digestion.
Women need to be extra cautious: Working nights may do more than upsetting the stomach for women. Breast cancer rates may be higher in women who work during nights. Exposure to bright light during the night causes the body to produce less of the hormone melatonin. Insufficient melatonin causes a rise in estrogen production, and high levels of estrogen have been linked to breast cancer.
The antioxidants, vitamin C and E in fresh fruits and those deep green, red, orange and yellow veggies beat the cancer risk sufficiently. Garlic (an exception to the color code) also offers cancer-fighting chemicals.
Increased amount of stress during nights and improper sleep during the day will cause early wrinkles, premature graying and thinning of the hair. The beneficial vitamins in fresh fruits and vitamins battle against these unpleasant cosmetic changes.
Thus, choosing right food carefully can make the difference between feeling alert and energetic instead of experiencing indigestion, heartburn and fatigue while on the job. Apart from eating better, have good sleep to help you rejuvenate for the next day.
Via: Mr. Dhanushkodi
New work culture, odd hours of work, a fast paced lifestyle – this is the trend of the present day.
Tens of thousands of young Indians have converted day into night and night into day to meet the business requirements of American and European companies. These employees of the $1.5 billion call center industry are young and they consider working in the night as ‘cool’.
While the BPO industry is a lucrative option for these English-speaking professionals, the entire work culture can wreak havoc on their body system. Long hours of work along with a hectic work schedule; have put an increasing number of young professionals burning the midnight oil at risk of major health disorders.
Night work disturbs the circadian rhythm in the human body. This is an internal body clock that is synchronized to a 24-hour period. It regulates a number of physiological functions such as body temperature, hormone secretion, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion and mental alertness.
Night shift workers are at a higher risk of having health problems because this internal clock is disturbed. Common complaints faced by them are either gastrointestinal or cosmetic. The complaints range from malnutrition, heartburn, stomach aches, ulcers and a general sense of fatigue or stress to cosmetic changes like weight gain and premature graying.
Oil-rich samosas, kachoris, masala dosas, channa bhatura, vadas, bondas and pulau with paneer in thick gravy seem to be the preferred edibles of the young call center employees in India today. Such food in the long run would cause early physiological changes. This is like inviting obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases.
Good nutrition is important for everyone but healthy food choices can make a difference in how night shift workers relate to their activities on and off the job. Whether eating from the cafeteria vending machine or grabbing take-out food or munching in the car on your way to work, healthy choices are to be made. A well-balanced diet is a must.
Here are some tips to make a healthy change in your diet:
Have food on a regular schedule: It pays to keep to a regular eating schedule, even if your working hours change from day to day. Shift workers have twice as high a rate of ulcers as day workers. It is because they do not eat at traditional meal times and eat junk food or other snacks that are quick and convenient.
It is easier on your stomach to eat at the same times everyday. Adding an extra meal or missing a meal can have consequences for your nutrient intake and weight.
Wake up diet: Often it so happens that proper food is not available when you are awake and ready to eat. Have an evening tea or one glass of milk (cold or hot) with light food like poha, bhelpuri etc., to leave room for the main meal later.
Go for a walk when it is still bright and feel the sunshine on you. By working at night the night shift worker misses out on sunshine, which is essential for absorption of certain nutrients like calcium and magnesium. Short brisk walk on most days can always help you stay alert on the job. It also keeps your body in tip-top shape.
Avoid eating heavy after midnight: Avoid your main meal after midnight on night shifts. They not only make you feel drowsy, the body naturally slows down then so your body won’t digest the food properly. So, having your big meal at the start of your work schedule (before midnight) is ideal. If this is not an option, split your meal into two smaller meals.
Try to have the main meal with the family before leaving for the work. Relax while eating and allow time for proper digestion. Eating in a rush, in solitude without company of family or friends can cause gastrointestinal disorders.
Include variety of foods like bread and cereals, fruit and vegetables, legumes (baked beans, dried peas etc.,), and small amounts of fats and oils. To intensify alertness throughout the shift it is advised to eat proteins such as lean meat, fish, fowl and low fat dairy products.
Take nutritious snacks to work: Snacks are very important in helping you stay energized throughout the night. Pack an apple, orange, nuts, fruit bread or dried fruits. Protein foods like hard-boiled eggs, low fat yogurt and peanut chikki can help you stay awake. Alter the time you eat these petite meals to suit your shift. They will benefit you in preventing sluggishness throughout the night.
Eat breakfast: A wholesome breakfast is to be eaten in exactly the same way, as everyone would have every morning. Before going to bed in the morning after a night shift, have a moderate breakfast so one will not wake up due to hunger or be kept awake because of fullness. Cereal with milk and fruits or two phulkas with dal and vegetables should do. This small amount of food will stop excess acid from circulating in your stomach while you sleep. Alternately, you can also eat a light sandwich, to avoid adding on calories, which don’t get burnt while sleeping.
Hey, Watch That FAT: Recent research links an increase in cardiovascular risk with night shift work. Keeping your blood cholesterol level under control is a key factor in reducing the risk of heart disease. Choose lower-fat foods and use low-fat cooking methods. Soluble fiber rich foods, such as oats, barley, beans, flaxseeds and soy protein can lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. Consume low-fat dairy products, such as non-fat yogurt and skim milk.
Increase fluid and fiber intake: Lack of fluids can lead to dehydration, leading to headaches, dry skin and nasal irritation and cramps making you more susceptible to colds, coughs, sore throats and the flu. Choose teas, herbal teas and push up your water intake. However, limit fluids before sleep.
If you don’t increase the fiber intake, the bowel can become slow moving and get out of rhythm on shift work. Include high fibrous foods such as dried figs, pears, raisins, whole-wheat products etc., and experiment to determine which time of the day suits your gut. Fruits like banana, papaya and pineapple heal constipation.
Cut back on highly seasoned foods: Always avoid spicy foods. For many people, spicy meats, sauces, salad dressings and hot pickles can aggravate gastric secretion, leading to hyperacidity and heartburn which in turn trigger indigestion. Choose mild sauces, vinegar salad dressings and unseasoned meats to play-safe.
Avoid late-night caffeine: Caffeine, the shift worker’s companion stimulates the central nervous system and increases the attentiveness. Have caffeinated drinks (coffee, cola drinks etc.,) before your shift or early during your shift. Avoid too much coffee late in your shift – it can make it hard for you to fall asleep after you get home. It can also aggravate gastric secretions, digestive problems and increase blood pressure. A tall glass of water is a healthy substitute – one that also helps digestion.
Women need to be extra cautious: Working nights may do more than upsetting the stomach for women. Breast cancer rates may be higher in women who work during nights. Exposure to bright light during the night causes the body to produce less of the hormone melatonin. Insufficient melatonin causes a rise in estrogen production, and high levels of estrogen have been linked to breast cancer.
The antioxidants, vitamin C and E in fresh fruits and those deep green, red, orange and yellow veggies beat the cancer risk sufficiently. Garlic (an exception to the color code) also offers cancer-fighting chemicals.
Increased amount of stress during nights and improper sleep during the day will cause early wrinkles, premature graying and thinning of the hair. The beneficial vitamins in fresh fruits and vitamins battle against these unpleasant cosmetic changes.
Thus, choosing right food carefully can make the difference between feeling alert and energetic instead of experiencing indigestion, heartburn and fatigue while on the job. Apart from eating better, have good sleep to help you rejuvenate for the next day.
Via: Mr. Dhanushkodi
this is an interesting entry.people should read,understand and follow it.These night shifts are really spoiling the health of our people.Many young guys are experiencing high BP,high Cholesterol levels,eating problems ,sleeping disorders etc etc.This is a serious health issue. so dear friends don't forget to keep yourself healthy while working and earning.....
ReplyDeleteI'm from New York and work night shifts. Recently had allot of digestion problems relating to night shift and decided to do some reseach on this issue and I must say this article really sums it all up giving all the the information I have found on many differant pages all on one page. Important to emphazise that should allways healthy
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