When should you eat after a night shift?

Eat a small meal before you sleep, not a big one. Federal workplace health researchers at NIOSH also suggest eating little or nothing between midnight and 6 AM, and keeping your meals close to a normal daytime pattern when you can. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

NIOSH advises night workers to avoid eating or reduce food between midnight and 6 AM and to spread food across three meals in 24 hours. Its reason is that on a night shift, you may eat when your digestive tract is set up for sleep, not for digesting food.

When you get home, NIOSH suggests a small breakfast before daytime sleep so hunger doesn't wake you. The same guidance says to avoid large meals 1 to 2 hours before your main sleep and to skip heavy, fatty or spicy foods. The Sleep Foundation agrees that night workers can eat a light meal first if they need to before bed.

Caffeine timing matters too:

• The Sleep Foundation says a coffee at the start of your shift may help you stay awake, but to avoid caffeine in the second half.
• NIOSH notes that caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours, and a cup near the end of a night shift can still cause restlessness or waking when you try to sleep.
• NIOSH also suggests keeping caffeine light during your shift.

If you have diabetes or another condition that affects when or what you eat, ask your doctor how this applies to you.