Your Body Almanac

Night shift work

Awake when your body expects to sleep, asleep when the world is loud.

Working nights puts you at odds with your internal clock, which is set by daylight. Daytime sleep tends to be shorter and lighter, meals drift to odd hours, and the drive home comes at your sleepiest point. Over years, shift work is linked to higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and mood problems.

01

Short, broken daytime sleep

Your body is wired to be alert during the day, so daytime sleep is easily cut short by light, noise and your own clock. Many shift workers run a steady sleep debt. Shift work sleep disorder, with insomnia and heavy sleepiness, is common.

SourcesShift Work Sleep Disorder (Cleveland Clinic)Module 2. Sleep is a Basic Need (NIOSH, CDC)
Keep a consistent sleep scheduleDailyGo to bed and get up at the same times every day, weekends included, and aim for at least 7 hours. Set a screen curfewDailyTurn off phones, laptops and TV at least 30 minutes before bed, and longer if you can. Set a caffeine cutoffDailyStop coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks by early afternoon, because caffeine's effects can last up to 8 hours.
02

Drowsy drive home

The end of a night shift lines up with the low point of your body clock. Drowsy driving after nights is a well-known cause of crashes. A short nap before driving, or a ride home, is safer than pushing through.

SourcesDrowsy Driving: Avoid Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel (NHTSA)
Keep a consistent sleep scheduleDailyGo to bed and get up at the same times every day, weekends included, and aim for at least 7 hours.
03

Meals at odd hours

Eating heavy meals in the middle of the night, when your body handles sugar and fat less well, and leaning on vending machines and caffeine, are linked to weight gain and higher risk of type 2 diabetes in shift workers. Smaller, planned meals and snacks help.

SourcesSleep Deprivation and Deficiency — How Sleep Affects Your Health (NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)Factors Affecting Weight and Health (NIH NIDDK)
Include protein at each mealDailySpread your protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner instead of saving it all for one meal. Hit a daily fiber targetDailyWork up to 25–35 grams of fiber a day from whole grains, beans, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Limit ultra-processed foodDailyBuild most meals from whole or minimally processed foods, and treat packaged snacks and fast food as extras. Drink water through the dayDailyKeep a water bottle within reach and sip through the day instead of waiting until you are thirsty.
04

Little daylight

Sleeping through the day can mean weeks with little sunlight. Daylight helps set your body clock, and sunlight on skin is a main source of vitamin D.

SourcesVitamin D — Consumer Fact Sheet (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements)Shift Work Sleep Disorder (Cleveland Clinic)
Spend time outdoorsDailyGet 20 to 30 minutes in a park, yard or green space most days, walking or just sitting. Get vitamin D from foodDailyEat fatty fish, fortified milk and UV-exposed mushrooms so you are not relying on the sun alone. Ask your doctor about vitamin DYearlyIf you get little sun or few vitamin D foods, ask at your checkup whether testing or a supplement makes sense for you.
05

Long-term strain on heart and mood

Ongoing short sleep and a disrupted body clock are linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and isolation from friends and family who keep daytime hours. Regular checkups and protecting time with people matter more on this schedule.

SourcesSleep Deprivation and Deficiency — How Sleep Affects Your Health (NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Check your blood pressureYearlyGet your blood pressure checked at least yearly from age 40, or sooner if you are at higher risk. Get a yearly checkupYearlySee your primary care provider for preventive care, the screenings and vaccines you are due for, and questions about your health. Make time for peopleWeeklyReach out to friends, family or neighbors each week, and build in regular shared activities.

When to see a professional

Talk to a doctor if you nod off at work or while driving, if you cannot sleep even when you have the chance, if you snore loudly or stop breathing in your sleep, or if low mood lasts more than two weeks.