Many people with diabetes find a daily routine helps. But jobs in health care, service and hospitality, firefighting, law enforcement, security and truck driving often mean evening, overnight or irregular shifts. In 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that about 16% of the workforce had non-daytime schedules. Shift work can bring better pay or fewer workdays — but research shows that people on night and rotating shifts may have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and managing diabetes is harder.
Why shifts matter
Sleep. Your circadian rhythm — an internal clock tied to day and night — helps control sleep and digestion. In the morning your body releases cortisol, which makes you alert; in the evening, melatonin, which makes you sleepy; and the rhythm also helps you release insulin, which balances blood sugar. Night or rotating shifts can disrupt these hormones, and unbalanced cortisol and insulin can raise blood sugar and cause insulin resistance. How much you sleep matters too: less than 7 hours a day raises the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Meals. Shift workers may sleep through daytime meals, work through dinner or breakfast, or eat large meals at odd times. Skipping meals or eating very large ones can cause both low and high blood sugar. With diabetes, keep mealtimes as predictable as possible.
Activity. It can be hard to fit in exercise and still sleep enough between shifts. Jobs that keep you on your feet call for healthy snacks on hand, regular blood sugar checks, and a fast-acting sugar in case you need to treat low blood sugar.
Health care workers — doctors, nurses, emergency responders — often work nights and sometimes forget to look after themselves. If that's you, make time to manage your diabetes.
Tips
| Eating | eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at your usual times as far as you can; avoid large meals in the middle of the night; prepare food ahead rather than relying on vending machines |
| Sleep | track your sleep; take short naps if you're short of hours; use blackout curtains and a sound machine; avoid caffeine near the end of your shift |
| Activity | plan it around shifts and sleep; if workdays are impossible, be active on days off; notice whether exercise helps or hinders your sleep |
| Blood sugar | monitor it consistently through your shift, especially if you move around; a morning reading is a fasting measurement (8+ hours since eating) for day workers, but may not be for night workers |
| Medicines | take them consistently, even mid-shift; plan for doses that need food; set phone reminders; work out a realistic schedule with your doctor |
| Stress | odd hours can take a physical, emotional and social toll and bring stress or fatigue; make time for hobbies, self-care and loved ones |
Sources
Based on "Diabetes and Shift Work," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. The page's photographs were stock images and are not reproduced.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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