If you are in a profession that involves you working till late in the night or for entire night shifts and you are constantly facing the challenge of keeping yourself fit and healthy, then this is for you!

Let’s accept that our bodies are accustomed to being active at day and resting at night. As doctors explain, Circadian rhythm, a biological process of the human body that monitors the wake up and sleep patterns. And for those working in the night shifts circadian rhythm may get disturbed.

At nights, Circadian rhythm releases chemicals that provide your body with enough rest and sleep and at the day it sends in signals to keep awake. Besides, it also regulates vital functions like body temperature, digestion and heart rate.

Doctors warn against pushing Circadian rhythm out of sync as it will cause unimaginable negative effects on the health and may lead to issues like obesity and heart related problems.

If you are burning midnight oil due to work commitments, it is very important to maintain a strict healthy schedule:

Sleep Well: The first and foremost rule to follow if you are working at night is getting enough sleep and rest in the day that will keep you energised by evenings. However, sleeping during the day may be often disruptive.

Try and create a night-like atmosphere in your bedroom, turn the lights off, keep your phone away before going to bed.

Exercise If You Can: Exercising would be last thing on your mind if you were working throughout the night. Try hitting gym, take a brisk walk on your weekly offs or go for workouts just before going to office in the evening.

Take stairs at work and try including squats, stretches whenever possible. 

Eat Healthy: Always keep healthy food handy. Preparing your own meals before starting the night shift is the key to staying hit. Plan for your diet in advance to avoid eating junk food and snacking on deep fried stuff. A fistful of nuts, fruits and milk come in handy to kill those hunger pangs and keep you full for longer hours.

Say No To Caffeine: Too much of caffeine could be a killer of your health, cut down on sugar too. Substitute caffeine with fruit juices, natural energy drinks. If you can’t give up coffee, limit it to one cup per shift and consume it at least 5 hours before your shift ends, as it may cause sleep disruptions when you get home.