Working Nights

It’s Important to Talk with your Doctor about Working Shift Work

If you’ve read much of the material on this blog, you know that working shift work contributes to many challenging, but manageable, health and lifestyle issues.  One way to make sure you manage your own unique circumstances is by talking with your health practitioner about the fact you work shifts and raising any concerns you have about shift work.  A recent study by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the VA Center for Management of Complex Chronic Care found that physicians tend to follow a fairly standard approach to care for most health conditions.  Physicians do not generally take into account  a particular patient’s situation or life context, so the fact that a patient works shift work is not likely to enter the doctor’s radar screen.  But, it’s critical for shift workers to have doctors who understand the unique challenges of working shift work.

Some of the special issues shift workers can face include:

1.  Sleep disturbances from work schedules distrupting sleep schedules.

2. Lower levels of Vitamin D resulting from lack of exposure to sunlight.

3. Overweight due to lack of nutritional food when working nights.

4. Higher rates of divorce due to lifestyle challenges of working shifts.

5. Increased risk for depression arising from lower levels of seratonin.

Read other posts throughout this blog for more areas of risk when working shifts. 

Next time you go to your health practitioner, bring a list of your concerns and be vocal about them with your provider.  Make sure your doctor or nurse practitioner knows you work shift work.  The University of Illinois at Chicago and the VA Center for Management of Complex Chronic Care study found that doctors were more likely to respond to biomedical facts – e.g. test results - than to contextual red flags - such as I work  shift work and I’m concerned about my increased risk for cardiac problems even though I don’t have any family members with heart health issues.  Both biomedical facts and contextual red flags are equally important to planning appropriate care, according to the study researchers.  By planning care with your provider you can prevent shift work challenges from impacting your health and lifestyle.

©2010 Circadian Age, Inc. ‘Working Nights’

Employee Health and Shift Work Lifestyle Training Leads to a Happier and Healthier Workforce….and to Increased Company Profits!

Is employee morale low at your company? Employee morale is higher when companies provide shift work lifestyle training.  Nearly 60% of employees at companies providing shift work lifestyle training rank their morale as good or excellent compared 35% without shift work training.[i] 

Some shift workers are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease.  Want to save upwards of $6,500 for each of these at-risk employees per year?  And, protect your employees from this number one killer!

Workers in shift work operations generate, on average, more health care costs than other workers.  How about reducing overall company health care costs by 17% to 37% by targeting this population and helping them improve their health?[ii] Other cost savings may also be possible, including safety incident and workers’ compensation costs. Worker productivity may increase, possibly even up by 39%.[iii]

In extended 24-hour operations, a well-designed shift schedule or roster is unlikely to provide adequate protection from worker fatigue.  An integrated risk management system incorporates data analysis and training towards an effort of reducing fatigue and reducing a company’s costs, risks, and liabilities.[iv]

Among the shift worker population, 71% of men and 53% of women are overweight, 54% of workers have smoked or currently smoke, only 27.5% workers report having good nutritional practices, and 77% report not exercising regularly.  Add to this the sleep deprivation statistics, 27% of shift workers report making mistakes of inattention several times per month, and it’s clear that both shift workers and their employers would benefit from worker health and lifestyle training.[v]  In addition, a fatigue management program would help target the reasons shift workers aren’t always as attentive and productive as day-time workers and help companies and employees develop some initiatives to reduce employee fatigue levels. 

Each of the examples above show the overwhelming benefits to a company and its employees when an employee health and shift work lifestyle training program tailored to the company’s needs is implemented……..It’s all in the details, so read on for more information about targeting a program for your operation….. Read this article…

Seeking a Real Quick Route to Better Health? Eat More Red!

Shift workers are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes as they themselves report getting less exercise and being prone to eating more unhealthy foods, especially when working nights.  As a result, they are often overweight, contributing to heart disease and diabetes.   But, small steps can make a big difference.  The results from three new studies, all promoting the benefits of eating red foods [and drinks], have been released in the past few weeks.  Read this article…

2010 Sleep in America Poll Released!

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) has just released the 1st poll to examine sleep among four ethnic groups in the United States: Asians, Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics and Whites-the 2010 Sleep in America Poll. Although significant differences in the sleep habits and attitudes of each group are revealed, there are also a number of interesting similarities. The poll found that more than three fourths of respondents from each ethnic group agree that poor sleep is associated with health problems. It also showed that each group reports similar experiences missing work or family functions because of fatigue. This is of extreme significance to shift workers who routinely average less sleep than day workers.

The NSF is committed to understanding people’s sleep needs and giving them the tools necessary to get the optimum amount of rest. Read more about the poll and its findings at the NSF’s website…

Per World Health Organization – 40% of Cancers are Preventable

According to the World Health Organization, cancer is responsible for one out of every eight deaths worldwide.  Over 20% are related to viruses, like the  human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes cervical cancer, or hepatitis infections that cause stomach and liver cancer.  Read more at The Boston Globe.

Why is this especially important to shift workers?  Because shift workers’ are more prone to smoke, drink alcohol to cope with working shifts, and they are less likely to focus on maintaining good nutrition.  To avoid cancers in the lungs, colon, and breasts, people should  stop smoking, limit their alcohol consumption, avoid too much sun, and maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

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WSJ Covers Heart Risk at Work and Seasonal Affective Disorder

There were two articles in the Wall Street Journal today that are significant to shift workers. One story is about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and the other’s about a new study reporting that men who didn’t confront colleagues or bosses who treated them unfairly doubled their risk of heart attack.

Seasonal Affective Disorder – the article states that SAD “affects an estimated 6% of Americans, causing depression, lethargy, irritability and a desire to avoid social situations. It can also create an urge to overeat, particularly carbohydrates. As many as 15% of people in the U.S. may have a milder version that includes only some of these symptoms.” What the article leaves out, that all shift workers know, is that SAD symptoms are routinely felt by workers at jobs outside the normal day-time hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. See more about this in our articles on Vitamin D and Serotonin.

Reducing Heart Risk with Confrontation – the lead researcher from Stockholm University and her research partners asked 2,755 men how they typically responded to unfair treatment at work. Those who said they just let it pass and said/did nothing had significantly more heart attacks during the next ten years. After adjusting for age, socio-economic factors, risk behaviors, job strain, and biological risk factors, the risk of heart and death from a cardiovascular event was 2.3 times greater than it was for those who said they confronted those treating them unfairly. Read more about how shift workers can manage stress on the job and about controlling bullying at work.

To read the two Wall Street Journal articles:

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Reducing Heart Risk with Confrontation

©2009Circadian Age, Inc. ‘Working Nights”

November is National Heartburn Month! Is this Something to Celebrate?

Do you feel bloated?  Is your stomach is churning day and night?  To alleviate your heartburn and acid indigestion, do you regularly pop antacid pills?  If your answers are yes, you’re not alone.  People who work shifts often suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disease.  In fact, up to 75% of night workers have G.I. problems – and peptic ulcers are up to 5 times more frequent.  Nearly 40% of shift workers report taking antacids several times a month.[i]  According to the National Heartburn Alliance (NHBA), over 25 million Americans suffer from heartburn on a daily basis and most of them attribute it to the foods they eat.    

So, if you’re one of the 25 million, or your best buddy or spouse is, what can you do to get help? 

Read this article…

Shift Worker Liquid Intake Extremely Important!

Most shift workers admit they don’t have the best understanding of nutrition and that they find it challenging to follow good nutritional habits. It makes sense that sticking with good nutritional meals can be difficult when working shifts – most shift workers admit they eat what they can find with the least effort – which is often food from vending machines, 24/7 convenience stores, or fast food restaurants. What doesn’t make sense is that shift workers don’t have better knowledge about their own nutrition. Certainly with education, just as with everyone, shift workers’ nutritional awareness can be exponentially increased.

We often read about nutrition and relate it immediately to the food we eat. We’ve written in other posts about the importance of eating healthy food – see “Be Careful What you Eat When Working Shift Work.” However, liquid sustenance is a significant part of our daily intake as well. When we’re awake, we drink water, juice, soda, coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, and some of us drink liquid nutritional supplements too. What’s important about the liquids we put in our body? The essential information to know is about hydration and dehydration, calories and caloric content, and how where you live, the job you perform and your overall activity level impacts your body’s need for liquids.
Read this article…

Working Nights Spanish Calendar Provides Critical Health and Safety Know-How for Hispanic Population

Press Release Issued Today to Announce the Working Nights Calendar for Hispanic Shift Workers:

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Circadian Age, Inc. – ‘Working Nights’ – a company dedicated to helping shift workers and their families adjust to their unique lifestyles, is announcing a new Spanish calendar. The 2010 Working Nights Spanish Calendar offers organizations with Hispanic workers the opportunity to show added concern about the health and safety of this group of employees, by providing them with educational material in their own language, to use at home.

“Hispanic shift workers face the same circadian rhythm and biological clock challenges that all 24/7 employees do” says Betsy Connolly, President of Circadian Age. “But often, language barriers make an already difficult situation worse. Spanish speaking workers are often less knowledgeable about chronic health conditions and safety prevention at work, which may result in more accidents and errors and increased health care costs.”

For the full release read here.

Knowledge of Brain Research will Separate Successful Operations from Others

Research about the brain is leading to amazing results. New discoveries can help us understand ways that the brain may restrict shift workers from maximizing their potential – and – give us more ideas about what can be done about it. Topics ranging from how training provides our brains with greater processing speed and an enhanced ability to multi-task to how our brains control our reaction to invasion of our personal space are covered in this post. Whether its figuring out how people from different cultures can get along better to why getting more stage four sleep is important to learning from training, each of these new brain related studies are important for human resources, safety, and health professionals in any shift work environment to be aware of. And, they are critical for shift workers themselves to understand, as well.
Read this article…

Working Nights Featured in Corporate Wellness Magazine’s September Issue

Health care reform is on everyone’s mind. Corporate Wellness Magazine, written for employers, unions, government agencies, consultants and insurance companies, has two health related articles by Working Nights featured in this months magazine. They include:

The Cost of Pharmaceutical Products used by Shift Workers
In 2007 the total U.S. health care bill came to $2.3 trillion—more than we spent that year on food. The United States spent approximately 16 percent of its 2006 gross domestic product on healthcare, up from eight percent in 1975. This article looks at pharmaceutical products and how much we spend on ailments affecting shift workers.

Lowering Stress and Anxiety for Shift Workers
When faced with the anxiety that sometimes accompanies working shift work, many people turn to tobacco, drugs (both pharmaceutical and illegal ones) and alcohol as coping mechanisms. While these substances may bring some calm in the short term, they tend to heighten stress and anxiety over the long term. This article includes valuable tips to help shift workers better manage work/life balance.

Hope you enjoy these featured articles!

©2009 Circadian Age, Inc. – ‘Working Nights”

Working Nights Launches 2010 Calendar Season and Announces New Calendar for Health Care Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Circadian Age, Inc. Announces Launch of New 2010 Working Nights Calendar for Health Care Workers

Boston, MA – (September 9, 2009) – Circadian Age, Inc., – ‘Working Nights’ - specializing in helping managers and employees of organizations with round the clock operations adjust to their unique lifestyles, announces its new 2010 calendar for health care workers. The calendar helps workers in hospitals, assisted living facilities, ambulance units, nursing care facilities, and health clinics face the work/life challenges they encounter as a result of their unusual, and often variable, work schedules.

“Medical workers experience tremendous stress on the job which can lead to fatigue and sleep impairment,” reports Betsy Connolly, Working Nights’ President. “Our calendar provides workers with meaningful tips about health and safety and an opportunity to better manage their lives when working shifts.”

The topics highlighted in the calendar all focus on related health and safety education and prevention for medical workers. February’s topic is Reducing Ergonomic Risks. According to a recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.5% of nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants experienced Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) – injuries or illnesses that affect the connective tissues of the body such as muscles, nerves, joints, tendons, cartilage, or spinal discs. This rate is more than seven times the average national rate of MSDs for all occupations. According to the report, almost 30 percent of all days away from work were related to MSDs. Preventing MSDs requires work scheduling that reduces the time of exposure to demanding work conditions and promotes healthful work–rest patterns.

With the increased use of on-line shift scheduling by health care employees, workers need to make sure that the shift schedules they sign up for maximize sleep opportunities to prevent fatigue related errors, provide adequate recovery periods to limit personal injury risk, and provide time for social activities with friends and family members. Other calendar topics include, Men and Women and Sleep, Managing Hazardous and Toxic Substances, Lowering Stress and Anxiety, New Tips about Caffeine, Restless Leg Syndrome and Vitamin Tips. The calendar incorporates color-coded stickers to help workers and their families manage their day-to-day lives.

For the full release please see Working Nights Calendar for Health Care Workers

Another Important Reason to Assess Levels of Vitamin D

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among those with diabetes. And, according to researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, people with diabetes and low Vitamin D have more than double the risk of cardiovascular disease. One possible reason (according to the study’s authors) – diabetics who are deficient in vitamin D don’t process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in their blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Why is this important to shift workers? Because some studies have shown that shift workers may have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and shift workers are also are at a greater risk of having a vitamin D deficiency. This study may provide more support for why shift workers have a greater likelihood of suffering from cardiovascular disease. And, it also sheds some light on a possible way to reduce the risk of heart disease – besides exercise, good nutrition, and maintaining proper weight, make sure you get enough vitamin D.
Read this article…

Untreated Sleep Apnea Outcomes Continue to be More and More Severe

Since shift workers are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders than day time workers, these workers and their family members, employers, insurance providers, and medical practitioners should be especially knowledgeable about the various types of sleep disorders. And, they should stay on top of new information that is released about chronic sleep issues that may impact them. Sleeping is fun – just think of all those wonderful dreams. Not dreaming, maybe you have a sleep disorder. Read here for information on sleep apnea. See other parts of our blog for insomnia, restless leg syndrome and other disorders.
Read this article…

Slowing Down the Aging Process – Tips for Shift Workers

Life expectancy has been increasing year after year in many countries, including the U.S. However the U.S. ranks 42nd in life expectancy but number one in health care costs per capita. Clearly this has gotten the attention of the Obama administration. Question is whether this significant issue will be solved by focusing more on health care prevention, limiting access to care once chronic health issues are diagnosed, by better managing how diagnoses are determined or by all of these things. Shift workers have unique challenges that need to be managed proactively by workers, employers, insurance companies, and medical practitioners.
Read this article…