Thirty years ago, diabetes was considered a disease of the elderly or the middle ages. But now it is affecting younger adults at a much faster rate, particularly IT professionals who work long shifts, and is accompanied by obesity. Why is this so? That’s because long working hours inevitably push you to a more sedentary life and compel you to cut back on exercise. This results in you gaining weight, which over time can push you into prediabetes, where your body has higher than normal blood sugar level but not high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes yet. But without intervention, the prediabetes may quickly progress to Type 2 diabetes. A 2018 study in the journal Diabetes Care had found that those who do more night shifts have a greater the risk of having diabetes (regardless of whether a person is genetically at risk for diabetes). So what are ways to keep your job and fight insulin resistance? Workarounds for long hours and shifts: Long working hours, particularly stretched shifts in the night, affect chronobiology or circadian rhythms. This results in metabolic disturbances which precipitate insulin resistance. This in turn leads to obesity, diabetes and heart problems. So what should young IT professionals working long hours do? When there’s an occupational hazard, then they should let their body adapt to the new schedule and compensate by getting adequate sleep during the day. Their chronobiology may change slowly and then the body gets adjusted to working at night. The problem gets compounded in those who have to do shifting schedules of night and day. In such a rapidly changing scenario, the body has no time to adjust to any rhythm. Only uninterrupted sleep of six to eight hours can provide some relief to the body. Don’t sit continuously, take hourly breaks: Take hourly breaks, walk about for two to five minutes in between. Wearable devices these days help you count the number of steps you take in a day, so you can keep to recommended levels of activity. This breaks the monotony at work, makes the sitting routine less harmful and also helps you exercise. You can even do some stretches while sitting and give your neck, shoulders and joints some movement. Drink enough water: Avoid alcohol and sugary or sweetened beverages that are high calorie and can raise blood sugar levels quickly. It’s best to stick to simple water which is zero calorie. Drink two to three litres of water every day. Even mild dehydration can cause a significant increase in blood sugar of 50-110 mg/dL or higher, damaging the body over time. Eat healthy, have fruits and vegetables everyday: One or two fruits can be consumed. Half of your meal plate should feature non-starchy green leafy vegetables. Only a quarter should be carbs and the remaining quarter should be lean proteins like fish, chicken and eggs or Bengal gram, green gram, milk, kidney beans and mushrooms. Watch the proportion of food you eat relative to your medication and insulin. If you eat too little and then take your insulin, it could result in dangerously low blood sugar levels. On the other hand, too much food may cause blood sugar spikes. Develop a knowledge of counting calories. Manage your stress: Stress hormones raise blood sugar, high levels of which lead to insulin resistance in the long run. If stressed over a long time, our insulin levels fall, glucagon and epinephrine (adrenaline) levels go up and more glucose is released from the liver. A spike in your blood sugar levels is one of the fallouts of this process. Those without diabetes are able to regulate spikes in sugar levels but those with diabetes could go into a state of hyperglycemia, causing fatigue and blurred vision. Develop a positive attitude. At the workplace, most of us face negative situations and attitudes and feel demotivated. Don’t just work hard, work smart. Apart from pranayama, meditation and yoga, take up a hobby like a sport or music. Develop passions and make life more enjoyable. Don’t be a loner, social bonds have been proven to reduce one’s levels of stress.
