Supplement Series: Vitamin D and Nightshifters

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The content in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, diet, or supplements prior to making any changes. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you read in this publication (or the internet in general).

If working the night shift has you feeling down, you would quite possibly benefit from extra exposure to the sunshine vitamin.

Vitamin D, often referred to as the sunshine vitamin because it’s produced when your body is exposed to sunlight, has a host of health benefits that are especially beneficial for people who don’t work traditional hours.

Here are a few of the reasons why vitamin D is important for people who work nights:

• Vitamin D can reduce depression. Because working nights typically involves long hours, challenging work, and disruptions to the body’s circadian rhythm, night shift workers are at an increased risk for developing mood disorders like depression. Vitamin D has been shown to help with mood regulation, and it can significantly decrease depression symptoms.
• Vitamin D promotes weight loss. When night shift workers get hungry during or after their shift, it can be tempting for them to grab unhealthy snacks from the vending machine or swing through a drive-through. Because night shift workers often feel tired as they struggle with maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, many also have trouble sticking to a consistent exercise routine. As such, night shift workers are susceptible to weight gain. Vitamin D can help combat this weight gain and promote weight loss by acting as an appetite suppressant.
• Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system. Getting an adequate amount of high-quality sleep every day is one of the best preventative measures an individual can take against illness and disease. Unfortunately, many night shift workers develop sleep disorders that can weaken their immune systems. Vitamin D helps by regulating and supporting the immune system, helping people fight against various diseases and health conditions.

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Vitamin D has the potential to boost your mood, support your immune system, and help make sure your body is in tip-top shape among other health benefits. It has also been shown to improve bone health and muscle function, reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, combat cardiovascular disease and many autoimmune disorders, and decrease the risk for type 2 diabetes.

While everyone will benefit from getting enough vitamin D each day, it is especially helpful for those who work the night shift.

Increasing your vitamin D exposure

Although there are many ways for your body to receive vitamin D, if you work the night shift, you are at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency.

Night shift workers tend to spend a lot of time indoors sleeping during the day, and they are typically awake at night and in the early mornings when it is dark outside, preventing them from receiving the sunlight they need to produce enough vitamin D.

According to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, adults between the ages of 18 and 70 should receive at least 600 international units(IUs) of vitamin D each day.

You can make sure you are receiving an adequate amount of vitamin D each day in a few ways:

Spending time outside when the sun is out

One of the most effective ways to increase your vitamin D intake is to spend time outside in the sunlight. When your body is exposed to sunlight it responds by producing vitamin D. For this reason, it’s crucial that you get at least a little bit of sun every day.

Try completing exercise or your workout routine outside if possible. A short jog through your neighborhood or a simple game of pickup basketball can be enough to increase your level of vitamin D.

While the amount of time you need to spend outside in order to get enough vitamin D will depend based on a variety of factors, like the darkness of your skin and the amount of skin that is exposed while you are outside, this is the most natural way for you to gain vitamin D.

Increasing your exposure to artificial light

If you live in an area where it is hard to have access to natural sunlight and maintain your night shift schedule, you can also increase your body’s production of vitamin D through exposure to artificial light by using a UV lamp. Because UV light mimics natural sunlight, receiving light from UV lamps or UV light sources will increase the amount of vitamin D your body produces in the same way as if you were outside in the sun.

It can be expensive to buy a UV light, so it is best if you are able to access natural sunlight instead. However, if natural sunlight is not an option, UV light can be the next best thing.

Eating foods high in vitamin D

A natural way for you to boost your vitamin D intake is to incorporate foods high in vitamin D into your diet.

There are a few foods that you can eat that will increase your vitamin D levels without significantly boosting your calorie or sugar intake.

Here are a few foods you should consider adding to your diet:

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Eggs
• Vitamin D fortified yogurt
• Mushrooms
• Liver
• Sardines
• Vitamin D fortified milk

A single 3 oz serving of cooked salmon can provide over 500 IUs of vitamin D and a single cup of fortified 2% milk can add over 100 IUs of vitamin D.

Try including some of the foods from this list in your diet if you want more exposure to vitamin D.

Tip: Pack a snack or small meal to bring to work and include these foods when you meal prep so that you can gain vitamin D and resist the urge to buy unhealthy foods from vending machines or fast-food restaurants.

Taking a vitamin D supplement

If you aren’t able to get enough vitamin D through exposure to sunlight and your diet, you can also increase your vitamin D level by taking a vitamin D supplement.

If you know that you aren’t getting a lot of time outside in the sun, and you are spending a lot of time inside or in the dark while working nights, taking a vitamin D supplement is a great way to make sure you receive the amount of vitamin D you need to stay healthy.

There are many different types of vitamin D supplements on the market for you to choose from in order to make sure you are getting the recommended 600 IUs of vitamin D every day.

Vitamin D and the night shift

While working unconventional hours can be a challenge, getting enough vitamin D can help make life a little easier for night shift workers.

From bolstering a weakened immune system to fighting against weight gain to helping improve your mood, vitamin D is a supernutrient that can help night shift workers improve their quality of life.

If you want to receive the health benefits that come from vitamin D, consider spending more time outside, purchasing a UV light source, incorporating foods rich in vitamin D into your diet, or taking a vitamin D supplement. You might be surprised by how much of a difference vitamin D can make in your life.

Night Shift Nutrition is a community focused on living your best life, while working nights. We do this by sharing our experiences and science based educations. The point is to not only survive working nights but to thrive! If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of you can apply to join our facebook group or subscribe to our email list.