Frontiers in medicineJul 28, 2026

Digestive health in workers on rotating shifts compared to fixed shifts

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Aug 3, 2026

Abstract

Impaired digestive function, termed Mandagni, is considered a key factor in the initiation of many diseases.

Four types of digestive fire are identified: irregular (Vishamṭgni), excessively intense (Tīkṣṇāgni), slow (Mandāgni), and balanced (Samāgni).
The state of digestive fire is influenced by factors such as season, time of day, age, constitution, dosha balance, and food quality and quantity.
Shift workers face challenges in maintaining regular lifestyle and dietary habits, impacting their gut health.
Disrupted sleep-wake cycles and altered dietary habits can impair digestion, metabolism, and gut transit time.
Research on digestive health among shift workers is needed due to the rising prevalence of metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders linked to circadian rhythm disruption.

Simplified

In the sustainment of health, the role of a well-functioning gut and effective digestion in sustaining health and contributing to disease development is immensely important. According to Ayurveda, digestive function is governed by Jaṭharāgni (digestive fire), and an impaired Jaṭharāgni (Mandagni) is considered a key factor in the initiation of many diseases. There are four types of expression of digestive fire (Jaṭharāgni) based on the predominance of the three humors, such as Vishamāgni (irregular digestion), 2. Tīkṣṇāgni (excessively intense digestion), 3. Mandāgni (slow digestion), and 4. Samāgni (balanced digestion). The state of Jaṭharāgni is influenced by several physiological factors, including season, time of day, age, constitution, dosha balance, and the quality and quantity of food consumed. Among shift workers, especially those engaged in rotating shifts, maintaining a regular lifestyle and dietary habits is often challenging. Disrupted sleep-wake cycle and an altered diet habit adversely affect normal gut physiology and impair digestion, metabolism, and gut transit time. The rising importance of shift work in modern society and an increase in the prevalence of metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders associated with the disruption of circadian rhythm highlight the need for research on digestive health among shift workers. Understanding the scientific framework on the relationship between Jaṭharāgni and altered work shifts and suggesting balanced lifestyle practices may contribute to the prevention of bad impacts on metabolic and digestive health.

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Competing interests

No commercial or financial ties reported.

PubMed

Digestive health in workers on rotating shifts compared to fixed shifts

Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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