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Integrative Health

These 2 Lifestyle Factors May Help Night Shift Workers Live Longer

Author: Zhané Slambee

May 07, 2026

mindbodygreen editor

By Zhané Slambee

Image by Aleksandra Kovac / Stocksy

May 07, 2026

Working the night shift comes with well-documented health challenges (like heart health concerns, an imbalanced gut microbiome, and altered blood sugar control). And for those who do work a night shift, learning about the health implications can feel like doom and gloom. But in a recent study on night shift 1workers, researchers found that two lifestyle factors could significantly offset those risks: regular exercise and a Mediterranean-style diet.

About the study

Night shift work disrupts circadian rhythms (the internal clock that regulates sleep, metabolism, hormone release, and other essential functions). Because night shift workers are already navigating these biological challenges, researchers wanted to understand whether lifestyle factors like diet and exercise could serve as protective levers for long-term health.

To investigate, researchers followed 12,044 night shift workers from the UK Biobank over a median of nearly 13 years, tracking physical activity levels and adherence to the Mediterranean diet alongside mortality outcomes.

Exercise and diet were both linked to lower mortality risk, but differed by sex

Higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with a 32.3% lower mortality risk, while higher Mediterranean diet scores were linked to a 38.3% reduction. But the combination delivered the strongest protection: participants who combined moderate physical activity with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a 61.5% lower risk of premature death compared to those with low activity and poor diet quality.

The researchers also found notable differences between men and women. For men, physical activity was the primary protective factor, associated with an estimated 4.90 additional years of life expectancy. For women, diet quality mattered most, linked to an estimated 7.64 additional years of life expectancy (the largest gain observed in the study).

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How night shift workers can put this research into practice

It is possible to improve (even optimize!) your health when working the night shift. That means getting consistent, moderate movement (not extreme fitness) and following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern during your wake hours

Research on supercentenarian longevity habits consistently points to these same foundational habits as key contributors to extended healthspan. And when it comes to exercise, variety may matter more than volume for long-term health benefits.

- Aim to get at least 75 to 150 minutes of regular moderate-to-vigorous movement throughout the week.

- Focus on Mediterranean staples like vegetables, olive oil, fish, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Getting the right nutrients for healthy aging can support this approach. Not sure where to start? Try this one-day meal plan for inspo.

The takeaway

Night shift work poses real health challenges, but this research shows that regular moderate exercise and a Mediterranean-style diet might significantly improve health and support longevity. Men may benefit most from prioritizing movement, while women may see the greatest gains from diet quality. But, both aspects are important and should be worked into your daily and weekly routine.

1 Source

- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42061717/