Do you work on a night shift? Here’s how to care for yourself.

When Samantha Shaw took up a recent job as a research technician in a sleep -related study in Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2021, she was excited about working on a matter that seemed personal.

She said that she had problems with falling and falling asleep from high school, so she took the opportunity to work with experts in the field.

. Scientists looked Can drugs support in excessive drowsiness during the day in people who worked at night, often in transport or construction, which began between 3 am and 7 am

27 -year -old Mrs. Shaw recognized a pleasant work. She became a change of change herself – often clocking between 2am and 4 am, returning home in the early afternoon, and then moving to bed around 18:00, despite exhaustion, would try to fall asleep, sometimes receiving less than four or five hours, Before the time came to wake up. She started drinking up to six cups of coffee a day, repeated colds developed and she didn’t have time to make friends.

Insomnia, destitute sleep quality and tiny sleep time They are common According to federal officials, among 11 million people in the United States who work for night changes. And change employees often try to follow well diets or maintain relationships with family and friends.

This may have grave long -term health consequences, said Jeanne F. Duffy, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who co -founder of research in Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

How does you affect your change of change

Research suggests that employees have a change Higher risk developing various diseases, such as gastrointestinal disorders, mood disorders and cardiovascular disease. They are also more likely that they will be involved car failures And develop infections such as colds, fluus and stomach viruses.

“All our physiology is focused on falling asleep at night and wake up during the day,” said Dr. Duffy. “So when you try not to fall asleep at night to work, you fight this internal biology.”

Change employees are also more exposed to risk type 2 obesity and diabetessaid Michelle Drerup, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine program at Cleveland Clinic. She said that partly because well food is arduous, she said at night.

For example, “after lunch time” at 12:30, what is available to the employee? “Well, it’s things in vending machines, if they didn’t prepare food,” said Dr. Drerup.

The hours of night shift were also described as “unsocial“In scientific literature, because they are contrary to the usual rhythms of society. This can burden the dynamics of the family and, as in the experience of Mrs. Shaw, hinder socially.

If the employee is trying to “keep up with social and health responsibilities” at the expense of his own rest, they leave “less time to recover after work,” said Imelda Wong, professional hygienist and epidemiologist who works for the Ministry of Health in British Columbia.

What to do while working and after work

Sleep experts issue many of the same health recommendations for change employees as for all others.

Maintaining a well diet is the key to preventing some chronic diseases that are threatened. Dr. Drerup said that while working at extraordinary hours, try to prepare well dishes that are uncomplicated to bring to work, such as vegetables, hummus, fresh fruit and almonds.

“Planning is necessary in advance,” she added, such as doubles the regulations and freezing individual portions over the weekend or your days off.

If your energy is marked during a change, even only a 15-20 minute nap (if you can find a tranquil place where you can take it) can support you feel more alert and refreshed, said Dr. Duffy.

To make it easier to fall asleep after returning home, remember how much caffeine you consume during change. Dr. Drerup recommended limiting to no more than two cups of coffee during the first few hours of change and to avoid drinking for the last four to five hours.

When you are at home, darken the lights around the house. Dr. Wong said that glowing lights point to the body to wake up, which can make it arduous to fall asleep.

She said that go to sleep as soon as possible.

Dr. Drerup said that blackout curtains, sleep masks and white noise machines can support create a sleeping environment.

Dr. Drerup said that if you have duties during the day, for example a meeting with children on a school bus, try to plan naps before and after such a break.

Common responsibility

Dr. Wong said that there are many things that you can do to make the change a little more arduous for your body, part of this responsibility also falls on employers. According to the National Institute for Praccation, safety and health can support employees of night shift, avoiding their planning for subsequent nights, maintaining changes up to eight hours or less and providing breaks for meals and rest.

As for Mrs. Shaw, more than two years of work overnight increased her recognition for how destructive work can be. The study she was working on ended in April, and she said that it took her back to a normal sleep pattern about four months.

Asked if he would work on these hours again, she hesitated. It would depend on the project, she said: “Because it had a toll on my physical health and mental health.”