Roughly 15 percent of U.S. workers are shift workers, working outside the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work day. Defined by the National Sleep Foundation, shift work is any work that occurs during evenings, overnights, rotating shifts or even the early hours of the morning.
"Shift work can add a level of convenience for some families, such as added flexibility related to child care and better pay," says Tapan Desai, MD, a Franciscan Physician Network board-certified sleep medicine and pulmonary specialist in Munster, Indiana.
In addition to some of the positives to working shift work, he says there are drawbacks that he discusses with his patients.
"Researchers have found that shift work is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, ulcers, depression, obesity and high blood pressure, along with sleep problems, such as trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep and excessive sleepiness," he said.
In fact,more than half of night shift workers have at least one sleep disorder, as nocturnal labor plays havoc with body rhythms, a new study shows.
Night Shift Workers & Sleep Disorders
A study of more than 37,000 adults published this monthin the journalFrontiers in Psychiatryfoundworking regular night shifts appears to be the most debilitating condition for sleep.
The research team screened participants for six common categories of sleep disorders: insomnia, excessive sleeping (hypersomnia), sleepwalking (parasomnia), sleep-related breathing disorders, sleep-related movement disorders and sleep-wake disorders related to circadian rhythm.
Among the findings:
- Across all of the people questioned, about a third had at least one sleep disorder, and nearly 13% had two or more.
- Half of night shift workers reported sleeping less than six hours a day, 51% reported having one sleep disorder and 26% reported two or more sleep disorders.
- Men tend to sleep fewer hours than women, but sleep disorders are more common in females, results show.
- Age also influences a person’s sleep. Older folks tend to sleep shorter hours, but most sleep disorders occur in people 30 or younger.
- The effects of shift work on sleep are most pronounced in young adults with a lower education, researchers said. That group both slept shorter hours and were more likely to have a sleep disorder.
Why Night Shift Work Hurts Health
Researchers are studying why shift work can cause health problems. Currently at least two different causes can be blamed for these risks - lifestyle and biology.
In terms of lifestyle, shift workers may find less time to exercise regularly and may be more prone to eat a less healthy diet. These individuals also are more prone to feeling isolated, since their jobs may cut them off from family and friends.
The more significant problem with shift work has to do with biology. The body has a natural, internal clock, or circadian rhythm, that is linked to natural daylight and darkness. This rhythm tells us to sleep when it is dark and be awake when it is light. Shift work goes against most people's internal body clock.
This disruption of the natural sleep/wake cycle affects how the body functions and interferes with the natural release of hormones and chemicals in the body, leading to potential problems of the cardiovascular system, metabolism, digestion, immune system, mental health and even fertility and pregnancy.
Helping health of shift workers
If you work the night shift, you can still take steps to lessen the impact of working all night and sleeping during the day.
Dr. Desai recommends:
- Eat healthy and exercise regularly. Since many risks associated with shift work are tied to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular issues and blood pressure, it is extremely important to make an extra effort to eat well and exercise regularly.
- See your doctor. Schedule an appointment with your physician if you are having trouble staying awake while working, or if you are having trouble sleeping during the day. Sleep studies and temporary medications can help.
"If you are in good health to begin with, the health risks of shift work are relatively low," Dr. Desai said. "Keep the risks in perspective and control what you can by making healthy lifestyle choices in the areas of diet, exercise and sleep."
Getting More Sleep If You Work Night Shift
Studies have shown that shift workers sleep less effectively than traditional day workers. Shift workers should make an effort to practice good sleep hygiene.
Sleep hygiene tips for shift workers include:
- Creating a morning bedtime routine to prep the body for sleep.
- Blocking out light in the bedroom with dark shades or a sleep mask.
- Wearing sunglasses in the morning before falling asleep.
- Limiting the use of electronics before falling asleep.
- Using a white noise machine while sleeping during the day to block out daytime noise.
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