Working Night Shift Increases Health Risk

With jobs in short supply and bills to pay, more people are working when they used to be sleeping. Some are working a series of part-time jobs that keep them up past their normal bedtimes or working the night shift and struggling to readjust their body clocks. It’s not easy. Shifting your sleep cycle causes metabolic confusion that can lead to serious sleep disorders and increase your risk for certain health problems.

Every creature has a natural circadian rhythm, the natural ebb and flow of the body’s biological functions over a 24-hour cycle. Humans are programmed to wake when it’s light and sleep when it’s dark. Second and third shift jobs demand that we reprogram our body clocks to work at night and sleep during the day. Unfortunately, grabbing some shuteye when you’re out of synch with the rest of the world can be a challenge. Family demands, caring for young children, doctor appointments and a host of other necessary activities must be dealt with during the hours you now need to sleep. Daylight and noise make falling asleep during the day even more challenging.

What often happens is that instead of getting 8 hours of uninterrupted restful sleep, night workers start losing sleep. They sleep fewer hours overall and get fewer hours of consecutive sleep, decreasing their opportunity to enter crucial REM sleep. It’s not unusual for night shift workers to develop shift work sleep disorder (SWSD). Characterized by continual or recurring sleep interruption, SWSD can result in chronic insomnia or excessive sleepiness. Headaches, lack of energy and difficulty concentrating may also occur.

Individuals who suffer from SWSD are at greater risk for on-the-job accidents, are more vulnerable to illness, may experience increased irritability or moodiness, and are more apt to make errors on the job. Chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and certain cancers.

To reset their body clocks, late shift workers — and their families — must make sleep a priority. Set and follow a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends and days off. Try to sleep soon after your shift ends. Minimize exposure to light by sleeping in a room with light-blocking curtains or shades. Establish and follow soothing bedtime rituals. Take a warm bath or shower, read or listen to soft music. Strive for 7 to 8 hours of sleep.