People who work shifts at different times develop irregular eating and sleeping habits that put them at greater risk of developing a wide range of health problems.
A new study investigated the effects of shift workers’ lifestyle on mental health and mood by simulating shiftwork patterns and closely monitoring measures of anxiety and depression, New Atlas published.
Disruption of the biological clock
Researchers have found evidence that the timing of diets can influence mood well.
They revealed that studies have been conducted that shed important light on the health risks associated with shift work and disruption of the circadian rhythm, which is linked to 24-hour sleep-wake cycles.
They also pointed out that some studies have indicated that an increase in night working hours affects the risk of heart disease, as well as the effect of eating late on the risk of diabetes and obesity.
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25-40% depression
While scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a new study focusing on eating habits in the context of shift work and how they affect mental health.
According to the researchers, shift workers have a 25-40% risk of developing depression and anxiety, and poor blood sugar control is known to be a risk factor for mood disorders. So the team of researchers designed a study to explore the idea that eating during the day can ensure someone’s mental health is stable, even if they’re exercising at night.
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shift system
The study included 19 participants who were put on a regimen that recreated the effects of night work, which involved staying in dim light for a set number of hours per day, which ultimately disrupted their circadian rhythms and reversed their behavioral cycles of 12 hours.
Participants were then randomly placed into a day or night eating group, with one group mimicking the eating habits of shift workers and another eating only during the day.
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By evaluating depression and anxiety-like symptoms over time, the researchers were able to assess the effect of different eating programs on mood.
This also revealed a marked difference between the two, with depressive-like mood levels increased by 26% and anxiety-like mood levels by 16% in those who work shifts, while only the day group did not show these changes.
According to the researchers, the findings increase the potential for using meal times to reduce mood swings in shift workers or other people with unbalanced circadian rhythms.
Although the findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are promising and shed important light on the role of sleep and diet in mental health, the study is small and is only a proof of concept.
Although more research is needed to solidify the idea that mealtimes can relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety,
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