Shift work guide
Shift work and weight gain
Why metabolism and appetite cues skew on irregular hours — and practical, non-stigmatising habits supported by public-health guidance (without fad diets).
When you are ready to try these ideas on a real roster, ShiftCoach turns guidance into daily, shift-aware reminders on Android. Get ShiftCoach on Google Play · Features · Pricing
Editorial & accuracy
ShiftCoach Editorial
Health & shift-work desk
Evidence-led writing for shift workers. We cite NHS, WHO, CDC/NIOSH, and occupational sleep medicine sources in each guide and avoid sensational claims.
Mechanisms: sleep, timing, and appetite
Short sleep and circadian disruption are associated with altered hunger hormones and more opportunistic eating — especially ultra-processed snacks when tired. That is biology interacting with environment, not moral failure.
Food environment on site
Vending-heavy sites tilt choices. Where you can, bring balanced meals with protein and fibre; where you cannot, even predictable meal times help regulate appetite signals.
Sustainable habits over perfection
ShiftCoach’s meal timing features are built for irregular clocks — small repeatable wins beat crash diets that collapse on overtime weeks.
References & further reading
Frequently asked questions
Is weight gain inevitable on nights?
Related guides
Next in the series
Best meal timing for shift workers
Put this guide on your actual roster
Download ShiftCoach on Android to log shifts and get practical coaching that respects nights, rotations, and transition days.
