Not everyone works a typical 9 to 5 shift. There are millions of Americans who work the night shift, also known as the graveyard shift, which is during the hours of 11 to 7 am. People working this shift must change their schedules drastically in order to work and manage their personal life. As someone who has never worked a late shift, I commend those that work these hours, which must create a lot of havoc in their personal lives. If you are a parent, working the night shift cannot be easy.
According to Men’s Health Network in a study in conjunction with Celphalon, Inc., your shift can create problems with your health. 1,500 shift employees that work non traditional shifts were polled (nurses, air traffic controllers, firefighters, factory workers, etc.) and the evidence clearly indicated a pattern. The study “found that 79% believe they are negatively impacted by their shift work reporting anxiety, irritability, anger and depression, and decreased work productivity and time spent with family”.
These traits are usually referred to as shift work disorder (or shift work sleep disorder). It “affects up to 25% of night or rotating shift workers and has potential consequences including decreased productivity and trouble focusing, an increased susceptibility to intestinal and heart diseases”.
I spoke to my friend, Claire, who works the graveyard shift at a Neo-Natal unit at a large hospital here in St. Louis, and she says that there are times when she feels that she doesn’t have enough time to spend with her kids or her family since they are gone when she is home and then when they are home, she is getting ready to leave for work.
“I can’t say that I suffer from shift work disorder, but I do know that working a shift like I do does make it hard to be a part of the lives of the people you love because everything seems to happen when you aren’t available. I sleep from the hours of 12 to 6 and then once I get up and do the family thing, it’s time for me to get ready for work. It’s not ideal but it’s what I do, and I am fine with that.”
According to the Wake Up Squad, shift work disorder is treatable and is a recognizable disease in the medical community. “Because of this disruption in the body’s natural rhythm, people with shift work disorder may struggle to stay awake during their working hours, known as excessive sleepiness, or have trouble sleeping during their sleeping hours, known as insomnia”.
It is commonly known that the air traffic control accidents that have been happening recently are due to this disorder. The cases of individuals falling asleep on the job while working these difficult hours have been well documented.
What are your thoughts? Do you or someone you know work the night shift and suffer from shift work disorder?
I saw many of these symptoms in my husband when he worked an alternate shift. It definitely put a strain on our relationship. Add to that a newborn baby and first time mother anxiety and it amounted to the biggest test of our new marriage.
Its wonderful to see that it is recognized as a real disorder, and that there are treatment options.
Whitney, thanks for your comment. I hope that you and hubby were able to find a happy medium in terms of his schedule. I give it up for those who work alternate shifts. That can’t be easy.
My step mom is a police officer…Works from, I believe, 11p.-7am…She’s been working this shift for at least since her & my dad have been together which has been over 20 years…I can’t say that I’ve seen all of these symptoms before with her…Then again, she is “super mom”….She sleeps from about 7am-12:30pm…And I really believe that she barely sleeps during these hours…Growing up, my dad has always been very strict with everyone when it comes to letting her get her sleep…Everyone in the family has known for the longest when to not call the house or when to not come over…This woman will run errands, shop, do EVERYTHING including cooking & serving my dad his favorite food & serving him his plate every single night…All done before she has to get in bed…I admire her…It must be hard…When I was in labor with my daughter, she had just gotten off work & although her work is tiresome, she made it to the hospital & stayed with me…She’s good like that…She can juggle alot…With family things going on, her work adds to the stress…To the point where her hair is thinning & she is loosing weight…It’s almost time for her to retire…