YOU NEED SLEEP – Learn Why The Night Shift Is Slowly Killing You!

There are a lot of people who work at night. Though most of these people can sleep in the day, there are still negative effects that can lead to some diseases. Check out the article we found at Articles Mercola.

First, let’s review how working night shifts damages your biology; then we will explore the ways to minimize that impact.

Science has clearly established the importance of keeping your internal body clock in sync with the rising and setting sun. Unfortunately, about one-fifth of the American workforce work nights, at least on occasion, and working the night shift is one of the fastest ways to disrupt your body clock.

The ramifications of such disruption can be significant, with research showing disrupted sleep cycles contributing to:¹

• Obesity² and type 2 diabetes

• Decreased immune function³

• Cardiovascular and heart disease^4,5

• Impaired brain function and emotional control,^6,7 early cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s ⁸

• Cancer. A primary mechanism responsible for this effect is disrupted melatonin production, a hormone with both antioxidant and anti-cancer activity. Melatonin both inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells and triggers cancer cell apoptosis (self-destruction).

It also interferes with the new blood supply tumors require for their rapid growth (angiogenesis). A number of studies have shown that night shift workers are at heightened risk of cancer for this reason.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) even lists night shifts as “probably carcinogenic.”⁹ Unfortunately, employers have not caught on to this yet, and few recognize the added risks placed on night shift employees.

Disrupted Circadian Cycle Unleashes Stress and Exacerbates Disease

Poor sleeping habits also tends to raise your levels of corticosterone, the stress hormone associated with road rage. When your body is under stress, it releases hormones that increase your heart rate and blood pressure.

Your muscles get tense, your digestive processes stop and certain brain centers are triggered, which alter your brain chemistry. Left unchecked, this stress response can also lead to a variety of health problems including but not limited to headaches, anxiety, depression and high blood pressure.

Circadian disruptions caused by lack of sleep or poor quality sleep may also exacerbate other serious and chronic diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis (MS), gastrointestinal tract disorders and kidney disease, just to name a few.

Working the Night Shift Significantly Increases Your Risk of Diabetes

In a 2011 study involving nurses, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health revealed that a woman’s risk of type 2 diabetes rises according to how many years of night-shift work she has completed.

Working a night shift periodically for three years increased the nurses’ diabetes risk by 20 percent. The risk increased with time, reaching nearly 60 percent after two decades of intermittent shift work.

The explanation for this effect goes back to your circadian rhythm and its biological impact, which includes:

• Release of metabolic hormones that regulate satiety and hunger. When sleep deprived, your body decreases production of leptin, the hormone that tells your brain there is no need for more food. At the same time, it increases levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger.
• Impaired blood-sugar metabolism, leading to insulin resistance and increased blood sugar levels, both of which are linked to diabetes.
• Impaired ability of your pancreas to deliver insulin.
• Disruptions or changes in body temperature, energy metabolism, cell cycles and behavioral cycles.

Consistent Night Shift Work Is Better Than Intermittent

Certainly the best option to avoid the damage and premature aging is to stop working night shifts, but I realize you may not be able to avoid night shifts once you’ve chosen a certain profession.

Remember, it is vital to understand that this kind of regular work schedule will ultimately seriously compromise your health and longevity, so you’d be wise to take extra precautions to counteract the ill effects.

In the featured video, Dr. James Hamblin, a senior editor at The Atlantic, discusses some of the options available to night shift workers.

While it’s impossible to give a definitive answer that will apply to every person, as a general rule, if you must work nights, you’re likely better off consistently working the night shift, opposed to working days and nights on a rotating schedule.

At least that allows you to establish a regular sleep-wake rhythm, even though your cycle is diametrically opposed to the natural light cycle.

Next Article: Learn How Lack Of Sleep Causes Overeating And Weight Gain

Read Full Article: Your Brain Needs Sleep-How To Counteract the Ill Effects Of Working the Night Shift