It's a lifestyle that can leave you overtired, overweight and out of shape. Unless you understand how proper nutrition and regular exercise can help you keep pounds off, muscle on, and get a good night's sleep. You may have heard that the human body adapts to just about anything, but chances are the body will never fully adapt to shift work. Blame it on the trail of human evolution. During the course of millions of years, our bodies have learned to digest meals in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Weight gain is one common side effect of fighting the body's natural state.
Eating more food was the reason, a common pattern among shift workers. Digestion also slows at nighttime, compounding the problem, explains Coburn. Lack of sleep is another problem. Your body has learned to sleep in a pattern known as your circadian rhythm. This internal clock works on a 24-hour schedule and regulates your body temperature, heart rate, hormones and sleeping patterns.