Circadian Disruption and Health: Can Diet Play a Protective Role?

Summary

Our bodies have a natural 24-hour clock that helps us stay in sync with day and night. When this rhythm gets disrupted—like from night shifts or irregular sleep—it can lead to health problems, including diabetes. This research looked at how diet can help reduce these risks.
In night shift workers, eating low-sugar (low-glycemic index) meals helps keep blood sugar stable, while high-sugar meals make it worse. Surprisingly, how often you eat during a night shift does not matter as much as what you eat. High blood sugar during shifts can also make you less alert, affecting work performance.
People with big differences between their sleep schedule on workdays and free days (social jetlag) have a higher diabetes risk, but eating more fruits, veggies, and tea may help. Eating breakfast regularly leads to healthier food choices, but only fat intake seems to directly affect blood sugar.
In short, eating at the right times and choosing healthier foods can help protect against the health risks of disrupted sleep schedules.