Shift Work - A Major Trigger for Insomnia

While the rest of us sleep, a nocturnal army
of people keeps the world turning.
Electrical engineers, police and fire crews, doctors, nurses,
paramedics, airline, train and bus crews are among the millions who
toil in the wee hours.
Let’s not also forget the 24-hour convenience store clerks -
or the overnight supermarket staff who restock the shelves so
they’re full when the first shoppers arrive at 8 a.m.
It’s estimated that a quarter of the population works shifts
– and they’re among the highest risk group for
insomnia and a wide range of other health problems. The reason is
simple: working at night disrupts the internal body clock.
Simply put, nature intended humans to toil during the day and sleep at
night. It’s why the brain produces the sleep chemical
melatonin when darkness falls.
Constantly changing shift schedules – mornings, afternoons,
nights – can lead to poor, fragmented sleep and chronic
fatigue. If you’ve ever taken a long plane ride that crosses
several time zones, leaving you feeling
“jet-lagged” you’ll know exactly what I
mean.
Now, imagine the equivalent of taking that flight every day and
you’ll understand why many shift workers have such a hard
time getting the rest they need.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says rotating
shifts have been linked to nuclear power plant accidents, airplane
crashes and other catastrophes. No surprise when you consider the
maximum human awareness and performance is between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
and at its lowest between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Even more worrying is
the impact shift work has upon your health. A Swedish study found men
who’d had heart attacks were far more likely to have been
shift workers. Other scientists have found shift workers are prone to
heart ailments and gastrointestinal disorders.
Add the disruption to family life and it’s hard to find a
good reason why anyone would want to work while the rest of us sleep. I
know I couldn’t. I ended up begging to be moved off the night
shift because I just couldn’t sleep during the day and got so
miserable and cranky I considered quitting the job.
Fortunately, I had a sympathetic boss, but millions of people have no
choice but to work irregular hours. And there are some lucky ones who
seem to have adapted to shift work * If you must work shifts, there are
some things you can do to ease the stress on your system, including:
* Stay fit. Stave off the groggy daytime feelings by taking a brisk
walk, bike ride or going to the gym for an hour. Your body and mind
will both feel refreshed.
* If you are going to sleep during the daytime your bedroom must be as
dark as you can make it. Any light in the room will disrupt sleep. In
summer, an air conditioner and fan will help immensely because stifling
heat and good sleep do not go together.
* Eat properly at work and avoid the temptation to get greasy fast food
from a nearby restaurant. Better to take nutritious food from home,
including fruit. Avoid caffeinated coffee.
* Ask if different shift patterns are a possibility – four
12-hour shifts is better than five 8-9 hour shifts because
there’s a three-day rest period between them. And make sure
you get a 24-hour break before switching shifts (from mornings to
nights, for example).
If, despite your best efforts, you still can’t sleep properly
because of shift work it might be time to consider a career change to
cure insomnia.
Your health – and sleep – must come first.

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