THE PRICE OF SHIFT WORK
Anyone who has worked an overnight shift knows how difficult it is to adjust back to a normal schedule. You feel like a sleep deprived zombie, never able to fully fit in during the waking hours. New evidence suggests that the toll taken may also be passed along to businesses in the form of lost productivity.
The research, as reported by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, found that the key for maximum productivity is to schedule shift start times that allow the worker to sleep right before reporting for duty. The study used a mathematical formula to see the effects of 24 start times, each varying by one-hour increments. The hypothetical work schedule lasted six days. Each shift was nine hours and started at the same time each day. The findings suggest that the best shift start times begin in the late morning or early afternoon, whereas shifts that begin between 8 PM and 12 AM were found to be the most limiting to both sleep and work performance.
The lead investigator on the study, Angela Bowen, suggests that government labor regulations may need be changed to take into account different shift start times. “Shifts of equal duration differ in how fatiguing they are depending on the time of day when they are scheduled,” said Bowen. “The same limitation on the number of duty hours may be either overly restrictive if during the day or too liberal if during the night.”
If you currently are an overnight shift worker, the AASM suggests taking steps to maximize your sleep time. Wear sunglasses on the way home and minimize light and sound exposure in your bedroom. Try to sleep immediately after your shift in the late morning until the early evening. On days off, do not switch back completely to a normal schedule. Instead, try a compromise by going to sleep about 3 AM.
If you would like more information on sleep and shift work, check out sleepeducation.com or contact the sleep specialists at Oregon Sleep Associates.
