People who work shifts at different times develop irregular sleeping and eating 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 shift work patterns and carefully tracking measures of anxiety and depression, according to what was published by New Atlas.
Disruption of the biological clock
The researchers 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 indicated how an increase in working hours at night affects the risk of heart disease, and also the effect of eating late on the risk of diabetes and obesity.
25-40% depression
While scientists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted a new study that focused on eating habits in the context of shift work, and how they affect mental health.
According to researchers, shift workers have a 25-40% risk of developing depression and anxiety, and poor control of blood sugar levels 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 that someone’s mental health is stable, even if they are working out at night.
shift system
The study included 19 participants who were subjected to a regimen that recreated the effects of night work, which involved staying in dim light for a set number of hours per day, which eventually disrupted their circadian rhythms and reversed their behavioral cycles by 12 hours.
The participants were then randomly placed in a daytime or nighttime eating group, with one group mimicking the eating habits of shift workers and another eating only during the day.
By assessing depression and anxiety-like symptoms over time, the researchers were able to gauge the effect of different eating schedules on mood.
This also revealed a marked difference between the two, with levels of depressive-like mood increased by 26 percent and levels of anxiety-like mood by 16 percent in those working the shift, while only the daytime group did not show these changes.
According to the researchers, the findings raise the potential for meal timing to be used to reduce mood swings in shift workers or other people with imbalanced 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.
While more research is needed to solidify the idea that meal timing can relieve depression and anxiety symptoms,
