Sleep And Shift Work
Are You A Shift Worker? Are You Troubled
By The Irregular Sleeping Hours? Spend Some Minutes To Find
Out How To Get Adequate Sleep
When we talk about shift work, most of the time we tend to
focus on the benefits. To the employees whose working hours
that aren't considered 'normal', something other than Monday
through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, shift work could mean greater
flexibility in scheduling. But to the employers, shift work
means staying competitive, especially in an increasingly global
marketplace.
As for the medical personnel who specialize in understanding
and treating sleep disorders, shift work has a more negative
implication to the patients. Shift work is often related to
insufficient sleep, which also means an increased likelihood
of human error and, which will gradually lead to decreased
productivity. It is not hard to understand this series of
consequences, many key bodily functions take place according
to a natural cycle and any disruption to this natural cycle
can throw a person out of balance.
This natural cycle, or also known as internal clock, which
it's more commonly referred to, is the Circadian rhythm. In
human bodies, this natural rhythm is responsible for signaling
the body time to sleep or time to wake up. It signals these
actions by releasing and withholding the release of certain
chemicals, hormones and neurotransmitters. When sleep patterns
are disturbed, as they are when a person working the night
shift sleeps during the day, they tend to have lower quality
or fewer hours of sleep are the typical consequences.
After that, it will not take very long before the symptoms
of insomnia begin to appear. Typical symptoms include a missing
ability to concentrate or to focus on the task at hand while
awake. Insomnia can also potentially cause irritability or
feelings of tenseness and depression. And of course, the most
notably symptom is fatigue.
When employees tend to experience these symptoms while at
work, it is easier for them to make mistakes, accidents and
injuries, absenteeism and even fatalities. Other than insomnia,
those involved in shift work also tend to have more gastrointestinal
problems, which they will have more trouble controlling their
blood pressure and a higher likelihood of developing other
sleep disorders including sleep apnea.
There are in fact plenty of people who work on shifts. Especially
for those who work in the medical field and in law enforcement,
they can be on duty any time during the day or night. Other
than that, there are those working in mines, in factories,
in customer service, as well as those in the field of transportation
from taxi drivers and dispatchers to airline pilots and controllers
must also be available for work around the clock, every day,
including week-ends.
If you are also involved in a shift work, there are some
measures you can take to better adjust. First of all, the
most important is to ensure your sleep area is dark and quiet.
When it is dark, our brain will release melatonin, a hormone
that plays a pivotal role in the Circadian rhythm because
of its ability to initiate sleep. It's also important to get
at least 8 hours a day if possible.
Besides, you should also try to take some naps during the
day, especially if you cannot get adequate sleep. While sleeping,
keep disruptions to a minimum and develop a regular sleeping
schedule. Don't drink caffeinated beverages for several hours
prior to sleep, either. Other than that, you need a dark sleeping
environment for your brains to release melatonin. If you have
a snoring partner, or you are a snorer yourself, you should
get some snoring relief to improve your sleep quality. You
might even want to ask your employer about the possibility
of taking a brief nap during work hours.
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