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I have been working in a shift system for several years and I can see how it affects my life – our regular reader wrote in a letter to the editor. We decided that this was a serious problem and decided to ask our expert what this mode means for health and how we can help ourselves.
For those working shifts, day means night. The world wakes up and they go to sleep because they just got home. The body quickly loses its natural rhythm and begins to rebel. How well we tolerate night work depends on our individual chronotype – that is, what time of the day we prefer, we feel energetic and active. Many people with an evening chronotype, “owls”, naturally choose to be active at night. Those with the morning chronotype, or “larks”, feel better during the day and work very badly during the night shift. Statistically, only every tenth employee is able to tolerate the shift rhythm well, and every fifth employee quits after a short time. Of those who persevere, as much as 70 percent. complains of various ailments related to disturbances in the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. – At certain times of the day our secretory system is working at full speed, at other times it is at a slower pace. When it is bright outside, the light reaches the brain and stimulates the pituitary gland to work – and this produces hormones that regulate the work of other important glands, the thyroid and adrenal glands (they are responsible, among others, for blood pressure, heart rhythm, energy production, oxygen use by cells, etc.). In a shift system worker, these rhythms do not coincide with periods of forced activity, so there are malfunctions in almost all internal organs, explains Marek Domański, a specialist in family medicine.
When we are exposed to sleep problems, proper dietary supplements can help. Dr. Jacob’s offers Strong Nerves – a dietary supplement with Rhodiola Rosea and Ashwagandha, which, thanks to the composition of natural ingredients, supports the work of the nervous system and improves the quality of sleep.
I don’t want a night shift!
This is confirmed by the research results. Researchers from the Sleep Research Center in Surrey warn that disrupting the biological clock significantly affects the body and causes changes in hormones, body temperature, mood and brain. Even a disease entity called shift work intolerance syndrome (ZNPZ) has been identified. It manifests itself with sleep disorders (also on days when a person works “normally”), a feeling of chronic fatigue (even after 8 hours of sleep), disorders of the digestive system, problems with the heart and circulation, disturbances in mood and concentration. These symptoms are usually accompanied by an increased consumption of coffee, sedatives and hypnotics, and more frequent smoking in smokers. The general satisfaction with life and disturbances in dealing with people are also worse. The older we are, the worse we work in shifts. Adaptability decreases with age, and the chronotype shifts towards the “lark”. Hence, working in shifts or at night is rather inadvisable for people over 45 years of age.
Sleep deficit
While there are no diseases that can be said to be solely the result of shift work, many studies have confirmed that shift work contributes to some diseases and that others worsen. One of the first mechanisms that a person working at night suffers from is the sleep-wake rhythm and related sleep problems. – A person working in shifts sleeps less than others: a week on average 5-7 hours less. As a result, she is constantly tired and has difficulty concentrating, and her reactions are slowed down. The situation is not made easier by the fact that it is difficult to fall asleep after returning home – there are a lot of noises around, and the daylight stimulates the brain to work. In such conditions, the body does not produce melatonin, the sleep hormone necessary to fall asleep and deeply sleep – says Marek Domański. Melatonin supplementation may solve the problem. Doctors recommend taking melatonin just before leaving work, and then returning home from work in dark glasses. After lying down, eliminate any stimuli that the body perceives as a signal to get up: light, sounds of domestic bustle, smell of coffee, etc. – The total number of hours slept during the day must not be less than five. If we fail to do so after our return, a nutritious afternoon nap is recommended. It is important to develop your own rhythm of sleep and wakefulness – advises Marek Domański.
This is not the time to eat
Diseases of the digestive system are common among shift workers. Studies show that digestive tract dysfunction occurs in as much as 25-75%! Peptic ulcer disease occurs several times more often and develops after about 6 years (in daytime workers after 14 years). Shift workers suffer from heartburn, ulcers, constipation, flatulence, gastritis. – It is mainly related to changing eating times and difficulty in preparing a meal and more stressful working conditions; but also with the fact that at night people use stimulants more often to give themselves vigor – says Dr. Domański. And she advises you to keep an eye on your regular meals even during the night shift: eat something small, filling every 3-4 hours – avoid fatty and heavy food. And eat a light breakfast after work. In this way, the body will be provided with a regular supply of glucose and nutrients while active, and the worker will not be hungry during the daily nap.
It’s not easy for the heart
Variable working hours interfere with the rhythm of physiological processes related to the health of the heart and vessels. – Blood pressure and heart rate depend on the circadian rhythm. When we work shifts, these mechanisms are broken and the risk of coronary heart disease and high blood pressure increases. Let us add that the longer we work in a shift system, the greater the risk. Research conducted 15 years ago confirmed that it grows by 40 percent in shift workers. compared to the daily ones – says Dr. Domański. What’s the advice? – Preventive examinations are extremely important. It is also worth taking care of a general healthy lifestyle, i.e. take exercise regularly. Let’s also follow a heart-friendly diet, i.e. take care of the wealth of polyunsaturated fatty acids, magnesium and potassium – the doctor advises.
A program for the eyes
People working in shifts have eyes that need support. Working at night, that is with artificial lighting, strains our eyes and forces them to strenuous effort. That is why it is worth taking supplements containing lutein necessary for the eyes, and in the season eat a lot of purple fruits and vegetables, because this is what they contain. Let’s make sure that our diet contains a lot of beta-carotene (red and orange vegetables and fruits). Let’s use artificial tears in drops so that tired eyes do not dry out. After returning home, you can smear your eyelids with a gel containing firefly, plantain or cornflower. And let’s make sure that there is good lighting during work.
Drugs under control
Among the “second-callers” we find many people who have to use drugs. If they are taken continuously or over a long period of time, you should tell your doctor about your work routine. Some preparations used, for example, in diabetes require scrupulous observance of the times. For shift workers, fasting does not mean in the morning, but rather after 6-8 hours of sleep. There are also specificities, e.g. mucolytic, i.e. thinning secretions in the bronchi, which should not be used at night. Modern antihypertensive (blood pressure lowering) drugs, on the other hand, work 24 hours, so you just have to take them at the same time, in the morning or in the evening. Diuretics can be a problem – it is better not to take them at night. On the other hand, in hypothyroidism hormones always in the morning, but drugs that inhibit hyperthyroidism can be done in the morning and in the evening, as long as it is always at the same time. But whether this also applies to people who do not go to bed – the doctor should decide about it.
Cancer risk
Endocrine disruptions caused by shifts in sleep-wake rhythms can have long-term effects. Some studies suggest that hormonal dysregulation may favor the development of hormone-dependent cancers, e.g. breast or ovarian cancer (Scandinavian scientists have argued that in nurses working for at least 20 years on night shifts, the incidence of breast cancer was five times more often than in those working only during the day. friends). Hence the conclusion: women working at night should especially scrupulously observe the dates of preventive examinations.
Tekst: Hanna Mądra