Welcome to my blog! So as some of you might know that I am studying to become a health and wellness coach and I am going to specialize in helping people and families with shift work. Not only does it effect the one working, it also effects their family as well. I personally do shift work at a local hospital, and I have been doing it now for almost 10 years and I can tell you, it doesn’t really get any easier. It’s hard on my family, and it’s hard on my health. I will talk about some of the effects but also some ways to help. In addition to some advantages to working nights. Let’s dive right in and learn more.
There has been a steady stream of studies over the years that suggests long-term night-working is extremely bad for your health. It had always been assumed (me included) that our “body” clock would adapt to the demands of working nights, however, one of Britain’s leading sleep experts, Prof Russell Foster, from Oxford University, says “the really extraordinary finding across a whole range of different studies, is that you don’t adapt”. Another study from Prof Michael Hastings, from Cambridge University, who has spent 20 years working on circadian clocks, states that: “All of our organs are running to this pre-programmed genetic pattern to make them do certain things at one time of day and different things at another.”
I don’t believe it’s just night workers. Fifty years ago, adults typically had eight hours sleep but now the average is 6.5 hours. The problem is that it doesn’t only effect those working this shift work, it effects their families, friends, and the people they work with It also effects the people they take care of such as patients in a hospital. A study in the US has been following 75,000 female nurses who work shifts over the past 22 years. It has shown that one in ten of those who have worked rotating shifts for six years will die early. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33638905
Research has also linked night work or shift work with cancer. In 2007 the World Health Organization stated that night shifts were a “probable cause of cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease” it is very depressing to think about, yet we still do it. But wait there’s more, recent research showed the brains of workers who’d done 10 years of night shifts had aged by an extra six-and-a-half years! In addition to that, they couldn’t remember as much or think as quickly.
There are ways to help mitigate the effects of working shift work. Based on numerous studies, night shift workers might benefit by taking 2000-5000 IU/d vitamin D3 and raise serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels to 40-60 ng/ml. This may help to compensate for the effects on bone density of reduced sun exposure. However, on the flip side there are benefits to working nights. I know it might not seem like it, but there are some people who love to work nights and here’s why.
One reason people like to work nights and don’t mind it is they generally make more money due to shift differential. Also, you do have fewer distractions and disruptions working nights which in turn could give you the opportunity to pursue further education, build your skillset, and build a better working relationship with your coworkers. In addition to reducing your commute time, you will have the benefit of a multitude of parenting-friendly options such as having more time with one parent, or a more relaxed evening for some me time.
I know this blog is short and sweet, but I wanted to at least give some pros and cons to working nights like I do. It isn’t easy for some people and there are numerous ways to get through it but there is flip side as well. Some people like nights and adapt very well, while others do not. But either way comment and let me know what shift you work and how you adapt to either nights or flip-flop. I work strictly nights and it works now with my family schedule and the whole carpool, kids’ thing, but it is hard sometimes and takes a toll on my health.
Remember……You Only Get One Body…..Make the Change!
Take care,
Darren
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Harmony Shift 