In a time of outsourcing jobs, work in shifts is no more a new thing. There are thousands of employees who work in shifts across the world. According to some surveys, the number of shift workers has been on a steady rise in the United States in the aftermath of the 2008’s global financial recession. People, especially the youngsters, prefer to go for work in night shifts. As many may not be aware of; working in shifts is a great hazard for the physical and mental health of all individuals. Most often, it affects the normal sleep and eating of a person. Listed below are some major health risks for shift workers.
1. Chronic fatigue
Almost everyone who has worked in night shifts for a few months, might have suffered the symptoms of chronic fatigue. Since they lose two or three hours of sleep every day and take food at irregular time, their body feels constant exhaustion. As per studies, a human being is supposed to sleep eight-hours-a-day for better digestion of foods, and for proper relaxation.
2. Gastrointestinal issues
Several of BPO and newspaper desk employees are forced to leave their jobs because of critical gastrointestinal issues. Most often, people who work in night shifts, sleep in the early hours of the morning. That means they miss breakfast time, sleep on an empty belly and often end up with several gastrointestinal issues such as peptic ulcers, constipation and abdominal pain. Irregular intake of food has also been proven as a reason for such health disorders among shift workers.
3. Sleep disorders
It is another big problem with the shift workers. Those who work in shifts, often find it unfeasible to sleep at a regular time. As a result, it is difficult to get right amount and quality of sleep. Under these conditions, people often depend on sleeping pills and drugs, making things worse for their health.
4. Obesity
Some recent surveys have revealed that sleep deprivation often leads to obesity. As per the researchers, there is a growing tendency among the sleep deprived to eat more, but their body never gets enough relaxation for the proper digestion of food. It often ends up in their bodies gaining fat. People who work in shifts, habitually take in fatty and greasy food.
5. Cardiovascular Issues
There is a huge risk of cardiovascular diseases among people who work in night shifts. One study has revealed that percentage of cardiovascular disease risk among shift workers is more than 40 percent. Many other studies have exposed the chance for increased heart stroke risk among night workers.
6. Risk of diabetes
A lot of studies have indicated the increased risk of diabetes among shift workers. According to a recent study by Harvard and Brigham’s Women’s Hospital in Boston’s research, three out of eight night shift workers have shown the symptoms of diabetes. Another study from Japan has shown 50 percent diabetes risk among people who worked 16-hours in shifts.
7. Increased risk of epilepsy
Epilepsy is a threat for people who have less sleep than a normal individual requires.
8. Mental disorder
It is in fact one of the most explicit impacts of shift working. People who continuously work in night shifts often suffer from several mental disorders. Researches show that these workers often lose their memory, learning and concentration capacities due to the shift works.
9. Depression
A study has revealed that night workers have low levels of serotonin (a brain chemical that keeps up mood). As a result, such people are prone to depression due to their irregular sleep pattern, eating and other activities.
10. Issues in social life
It is another big consequence of night shift work. People do not get enough time to spend with their spouses, children and rest of the family members. Married life often gets into problems because of night shift work of the spouses.
These are the most common consequences of night shift works. In succinct, people, who regularly work in night shifts, usually do not come across in good mood and fit mental state causing negative affect on others as well as their lives.
