I do a physical job four nights a week finishing at 1am. I find that I’m incredibly hungry after this shift, is it a good idea to eat immediately after work and if so what should I eat?
If you are really hungry it certainly sounds like your body is telling you that it needs food. It’s not always optimal to eat late at night (or in your case early morning) before you go to bed, however if your job is physically demanding then you need to refuel your body appropriately.
There are some foods that can aid recovery and actually help to enhance sleep. For example, turkey contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid which is a pre-cursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and the hormone, melatonin, both of which promote sleep. Fish is also good as it contains high levels of vitamin B6, which helps to make the hormone melatonin. Oats, bananas and nuts are also good choices. On the other hand, it’s best to avoid foods that are high in fat or spicy foods that take longer to be digested and can have a negative impact on sleep.
Louise has been running for over 20 years, with the last 16 of those at International level. She has represented Grea...