The Graveyard Shift is aptly named because of the eerie quietness and because most people who regularly work it tend to feel like zombies, even on non-work days.

(sorry, I know it’s cliché – but I had to do it!  With over 7 million hits on YouTube, it's obviously still popular.) 

Unfortunately, night shift nurses know this feeling all too well.  Your body can never become fully acclimated to working a night shift, but there are things you can do to reduce the negative effects.  Check out some of my Night Shift related posts on this blog here and here.

One issue that I hear a lot about related to working nights is Vitamin D intake.  The question is always very vague and usually goes something like this:  “What’s the deal with Vitamin D and the night shift?”

Here’s the deal:  Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps your body absorb and use calcium and phosphorus from the food you eat, which in turn makes strong bones and teeth.  You get Vitamin D into your system a few ways:  through food intake, topical application (Vitamin D is one of only three minerals that can be applied to the skin – Vitamins A and E are the others), or by direct sunlight exposure.  (I’m certainly no scientist and couldn’t explain how the body converts sunlight to Vitamin D, but if you want to snooze through the science, go here.) 



Nurses who work the night shift don’t get to see the sun much.  They work all night and sleep all day.  The lucky ones (those who can actually stay asleep and don’t wake up at noon after only three hours sleep) may not get up until 4PM.  In the winter, they may not see the sun at all.  If paired with a diet low in Vitamin D, the lack of sun exposure can have a negative health effect.

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to bone softening diseases like osteoporosis and osteomalacia.  It may also be linked to an increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, cancer, depression, seasonal affective disorder, and several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes.

What You Can Do

If you’re on Nights, make sure you get plenty of Vitamin D in your diet.  Fortified foods represent the major dietary sources of vitamin D, as very few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D.  Stick with the list below and be sure to incorporate into your diet regularly:

Fortified:
Milk (not to be annoying, but try to opt for skim or low-fat!)
Margarine
Cereals (be sure to focus on wheat cereals.  Click here for some additional breakfast tips)
Yogurt
Juices

Natural sources include fatty fishes and Eggs:
Salmon
Mackeral
Catfish
Canned Tuna
Eel
Eggs

Here’s a more detailed table:

Selected food sources of vitamin D

One last point regarding sunscreen.  You’ve heard a zillion times to slather on sunscreen when you go out in the sun.  Sunscreens with an SPF of 8 or greater will block UV rays that account for nearly 95% of vitamin D production in the skin, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer and other negative consequences of excessive sun exposure. Ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure at least twice per week without sunscreen is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D. 

In short, if you work nights, continue to use sunscreen like you’ve always been taught – just be sure you’re keeping your diet full of fortified and natural Vitamin D sources.

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