Burning the Midnight Oil: The adverse effects of shift work

In the past research has claimed that the lifespan of shift workers is decreased by about ten years.

Recent research in the United States determined that this is the case for train engineers and long-distance drivers.  Another study in Britain found that police officers who retired in their fifties lived on average only another 6.8 years.

The above statistics do not apply to all shift workers, train engineers, truck drivers, and police officers.  The statistics only apply to those who have a schedule that requires them to work at night, either in rotation with days or other shifts or permanent nights.  

Sleep deprivation is a primary factor in determining life span.  Shift workers who work night shifts are known to get less sleep than the average population; as a result they are putting their health at risk.  

Another important factor to consider when looking at shift workers is their ability to adapt physiologically.  The effects of shift work vary individual to individual.  For instance, some people are capable of sleeping at irregular times and are able to overcome the stress and fatigue involved with shift work.  

Work schedules are also significant determinants of shift workers’ wellness.  Some schedules include higher levels of stress and fatigue, and the people that work these schedules are susceptible to greater rates of illness and premature death.  

Overtime and stress are other factors that contribute to a person’s wellbeing.  When people work overtime it is guaranteed that they have higher levels of fatigue and are sleeping less.  

Shift workers may also prioritize chores, family, and household chores over sleep, by doing this they increase the risk of auto-immune and cardiovascular conditions, which may affect their life expectancy.  Shift workers need to realize that sleep is vital to their health and well-being.

Unhealthy lifestyles are also more common among shift workers.  For example, shift workers tend to have higher rates of smoking, poor diets, and less exercise.  These all increase an individual’s health risk and contribute to lowering life expectancy.

Shift workers who are physiologically well-adapted and have good schedules and healthy lifestyles are less inclined to health risks.  On the other hand, shift workers who are experiencing difficulty sleeping, have poor lifestyle practices, poor schedules, and high levels of stress are reducing their life expectancy.  

Reference:
Schur, Carolyn. (2009).  Burning the Midnight Oil: The adverse effects of shift work.  Your Workplace.  11(1): 36-37.     

Posted by: suhujitha on 2009-02-18 14:49:18

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