Timing of food intake during simulated night shift impacts glucose metabolism: a controlled study
Summary
This controlled laboratory study tested how meal timing affects glucose metabolism during simulated night shifts. Eleven healthy men completed four consecutive night shifts and were assigned either to eat a 1:30 a.m. meal or avoid eating overnight while keeping total daily calories the same. Blood sugar control (glucose AUC) worsened only in those who ate at night, while those who avoided overnight meals maintained more stable glucose levels. Insulin responses increased after returning to day shifts in both groups, suggesting that night work itself can strain metabolism.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
This study shows that eating meals in the middle of the night makes blood sugar harder to control, even in young, healthy people. Avoiding overnight meals helped maintain more stable glucose, pointing to meal timing as a key tool for protecting metabolic health. For workers, this means shifting most calories to daylight hours — and limiting overnight eating to light snacks if needed — may reduce the long-term risks of diabetes and other metabolic problems tied to night work.
Notes
Full text via publisher (Chronobiology International)