Sleep deprivation due to shift work

Nov 14, 2015Handbook of clinical neurology

Sleep Loss Caused by Working in Shifts

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Abstract

About 10% of night and rotating shift workers aged 18 to 65 may have a diagnosable 'shift-work sleep disorder.'

Sleep deprivation from shift work causes disruptions in the sleep/wake cycle.
These disruptions may significantly affect circadian rhythms regulated by the body's internal clock.
Variable shift schedules can lead to decreased sleep length and quality.
Long-term effects of shift work may include chronic fatigue and psychological issues.
Shift work is associated with increased risks for accidents and various health disorders.

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Sleep deprivation due to shift work is related to perturbation of the sleep/wake cycle, associated with the modified activity/rest pattern. This may cause a significant disruption of circadian rhythms of biologic functions, driven by the body clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Shift and night workers have to change sleep times and strategies according to their duty periods; consequently, both sleep length and quality can be considerably affected depending on the variable start and finish times on different shifts. About 10% of night and rotating shift workers, aged between 18 and 65 years, have been estimated to have a diagnosable "shift-work sleep disorder," according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, version 2 (ICSD-2). In the long run, this may lead to persistent and severe disturbances of sleep, chronic fatigue and psychoneurotic syndromes, besides being a risk or aggravating factor for accidents, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and reproductive disorders, as well as, probably, for cancer. Preventive and corrective actions deal with the organization of shift schedules according to ergonomic criteria, careful health surveillance, appropriate education and training on effective countermeasures, in particular, sleep hygiene and napping.

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Sleep deprivation due to shift work

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