Yes, night shifts send your lifestyle and body clock for a toss. Day and night reverse roles. See how a night shift job can affect your health and life.

I Don't Get to Sleep

"I developed severe health problems such as acidity and headaches due to my nightshifts. Although most of my shifts would end by twelve midnight, lack of proper sleep lead to constant stress and restlessness," says Venicia Ferrao, who used to work with Prudential U.K., a BPO.

Venecia had to change to day job to recover from her health problems and get back to a normal lifestyle.

Your body is accustomed to a sleeping pattern which is interrupted by night shifts. So while you may be getting the essential eight hours of sleep, doing so at odd hours doesn't help.

"Sleeping during the day does not compensate for a good night's sleep. The entire system is disrupted and you suffer from severe indigestion and acidity problems in the long run," says Dr. Nirmala Shankar, Ayurvedic consultant and dietician.

Give a lot of importance to sleep. If your house is full of activity in the morning, lock yourself in a room and get those six hours of sleep.

I've Lost My Appetite

Lack of sufficient sleep in the long run can lead to constant headaches and constipation. "Due to indigestion and acidity problems, you lose your appetite over time, which could lead to nutrition related problems such as anaemia," says Dr. Shankar.

Whenever you wake up from your six to eight hour sleep, its breakfast time for you. When you wake up from your sleep in the afternoon or evening, eat well.

Your lunch time may not be coincide with your family members but do not deprive yourself of the three important meals of your day.

I Need a Social Life

"I am hardly in touch with any of my old friends. Due to these night shifts you can't attend parties, go out for coffee or do any other normal activities that friends do together. You are completely dependent on your office colleagues who share the same work timings," says Ragini Navre, an employee of Enlink Infotech Private Ltd.

Socialising with colleagues is good to an extent but after a certain point, you personal and professional lines may get hazy.

At times, colleagues tend to call in personal favours when it comes to meeting a deadline.This could lead to professional problems

A life beyond work is essential to cope with work-related stress.

Try to take weekends off so that you can spend time with your family and friends. It is completely up to to you to maintain relationships.

Keep in touch with your old mates through phone calls, chats, etc.

My Family Doesn't Know I Exist

"When I just got married, I would get home by three and my husband would fast asleep. He use to leave for work at eight in the morning and I would get hardly any sleep before I had to wake up and make him breakfast. We only spent time with each other when we both coincidently had an off on the same day." says Ragini.

Six months after her marriage Ragini changed to day shifts because the night shifts had begun to affect her married life.

You are unable to attend family gatherings and have no clue about your relatives, cousins or grandparents who previously you shared wonderful relationships with.

You may not be getting time to be apart of the family dinner, so if you have weekends off, make an effort to eat with your family.

If your health is terribly affected, do not hesitate to ask for an evening or day shift.