|
Shift
Work Said to Have
Health, Societal Costs
NEW
YORK (Reuters Health) - A growing body of evidence suggests the
modern world's move away from 9-to-5 jobs is taking a toll on
workers' health--and society's pocketbook, according to a report
in the September 22nd issue of The Lancet.
Shift work
appears to throw off the body's natural rhythm enough to lead
to chronic sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems and even
heart disease, UK doctors note in a review of research on the
modern phenomenon.
``With increasing
economic and social demands, we are rapidly evolving into a 24-hour
society,'' write Drs. Shantha M.W. Rajaratnam and Josephine Arendt
of the University of Surrey in Guildford, UK.
However, they
add, ``the negative effects of shift work and chronic sleep loss
on health and productivity are now being appreciated.''
Working on
non-traditional schedules, which may include staying up all night,
throws off the body's circadian rhythms. These rhythms are governed
by the body's internal ``clock'' and help control the sleep/wake
cycle as well as a host of biological processes such as hormone
production and blood pressure. And the human clock has evolved
to match the light/dark cycle.
``Attempts
to sleep at inappropriate phases of the circadian cycle...will
usually result in shorter sleep episodes and more awakenings,''
Rajaratnam and Arendt write. ``Such attempts are frequent in workers
on night shifts.''
The investigators
compare the short-term effects of shift work to symptoms of jet
lag, such as daytime sleepiness, disturbed sleep, gastrointestinal
problems and blunted alertness. The difference, the authors note,
is that travelers will eventually adapt to their environment,
while shift workers live out of synch with their daily surroundings.
And over time
this may take a toll. A number of studies indicate shift workers
face a higher risk of heart disease--possibly due to the metabolic
effects of working and sleeping unusual hours.
There is also
a price for society, according to Rajaratnam and Arendt. For one,
sleep loss may make shift workers less productive. And accidents
that stem from sleepiness, such as car accidents, exact a high
cost. According to the researchers, ``sleepiness-related accidents''
cost the US about $16 billion a year.
``Employers
and individuals need to be aware of the major performance and
alertness decrements associated with night activity and how to
best manage and counteract them,'' the researchers conclude.
Some tactics
that may help circadian rhythms adapt to unusual hours include
getting an adequate amount of sleep--whatever time of day that
is--controlling caffeine and alcohol intake, and sleeping in a
dark, quiet environment, according to the authors.
In addition,
they add, there is some evidence that synthetic supplements of
the sleep-related hormone melatonin can help adjust circadian
rhythms.
``Biological
time,'' they write, ``is not only scientifically important, but
it also greatly affects the productivity and health of a nation.
The cost to the nation's health of working out of phase with our
biological clocks is probably incalculable at present.''
SOURCE:
The Lancet 2001;358:999-1005.
Reference
Source 89
For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick
Prevention Resources".
|
