Eating At The Right Time May Reduce Adverse Effects Of Shift Work

Techtimes 27 April 2019
Knowing the right time of day to eat can help improve the health of people working on a shift or those suffering from jet lag.

In a study featured in the journal Cell, researchers from the Medical Research Council and The University of Manchester have identified how insulin signals the proper timing of meals in line with the body's circadian rhythm.

By understanding how the hormone works, scientists may be able to develop new ways to mitigate the effects of body clock disruptions on people's health. Some of these include eating at the right time or taking medicines designed to trigger insulin production.

"We already know that modern society poses many challenges to our health and wellbeing — things that are viewed as commonplace, such as shift-work, sleep deprivation, and jet lag, disrupt our body clock," said Dr. David Bechtold, senior lecturer at Manchester and one of the authors of the study.

"It is now becoming clear that circadian disruption is increasing the incidence and severity of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes."

The Body's Cellular Clocks

The circadian rhythm, commonly known as the body clock, refers to the cellular processes of the body that occur throughout a 24-hour cycle. It helps the body know when to sleep, what levels of hormones to set, and how it should respond to different medications.

The body is able to synchronize the circadian rhythm with its surroundings by exposing itself to daylight and eating at the right time. This is important to help keep the body healthy in the long run.

However, people who work on shifting schedules or those who travel across different time zones often experience a disruption of their circadian rhythm. They are also prone to eating at unusual times, which can severely affect their body clocks and damage their health.