The graveyard or the third-shift hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., once predominantly worked by factory workers, bakers, security guards, and other blue-collar workers, is now also filling its ranks with energy brokers, computer programmers, and financial advisors.
If you work the night or evening shifts, you are not alone. Millions of people in North America work graveyard shifts and evening shifts.
This can wreak havoc on the body’s circadian rhythm, a 24 hour cycle which determines when we are ready to eat, sleep, and be active.
The National Sleep Foundation offers the following suggestions to beat the cycle of tiredness, isolation, and poor eating habits often associated with shift work:
• Avoid working extended hours.
• If your job and boss will allow, take a short nap during your shift.
• As much as possible, be in contact with other people.
• Get a bit of exercise, such as going for a walk.
• Get tedious tasks done early in your shift, when you feel more awake.
• Drink a beverage with caffeine, but don’t overdo it. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day appears to be safe for most healthy adults. That’s roughly the amount of caffeine in four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of cola or two “energy shot” drinks.
When consumed in moderation, caffeine promotes the release of adrenaline in the body and suppresses a natural relaxant in the brain called adenosine, which results in less fatigue, elevated mood, increased alertness and more energy.
