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a-z work related health: shift work
  
 
 
 
      << back to work related health index  
 
 
 
 
• introduction
• effects
• troubled Sleep patterns
 
     
  Introduction  
 
Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of the 24 hours of the clock, rather than a standard working day. The term shift work includes both long-term night shifts
and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts.

Even though shift work can be annoying, there are ways to cope and get your life on a somewhat normal routine. Changing your lifestyle and making sleep a priority will benefit not only your physical well-being, but also your job performance

  
     
  Effects  
  The effects of working these different shifts are not positive. The vast majority of shift workers feel tired during the late shift. This trend of tiredness increases the risk of injuries on the job, and after work when driving home.

Shift workers have a higher rate of getting chronic illnesses that include cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Those diseases are not the only issues shift workers complain about. Many of them suffer from insomnia, depression, and difficulty dealing with relationships to list a few.

Even though shift work can be annoying, there are ways to cope and get your life on a somewhat normal routine. Changing your lifestyle and making sleep a priority will benefit not only your physical well-being, but also your job performance

  
     
  Troubled Sleep patterns  
 
Shift workers do have options to help them deal with their troubled sleep patterns. Having shifts changed forward instead of behind are shown to have less of an affect. Say you work from 6am until 2pm. Instead of changing right away to 11pm until 7am, the better solution would be to perhaps do the 2pm until 10pm shift. Your body will be able to adjust better with a less drastic change. If possible, lessening the amount of hours in the shifts can help ease tiredness. Strategic napping before going to work will refresh and alert you. These naps should only last 30 minutes, because after that time, you are more likely to become groggy.
Keeping the same bedtime routine when your shifts are not constantly changing will help your sleep cycle get back on track. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol before sleeping will also lets you fall asleep faster. Eliminating light and noises will help you avoid distractions.