Changes in gut bacteria may link shift work, sleep loss, body clock disruption, and metabolic disease

Shift work is associated with an increased risk of metabolic disease, including type 2 diabetes.

• Overweight and obesity are at epidemic levels and are significant health concerns in Western countries.
• Shift workers often experience shorter sleep durations, which may contribute to metabolic diseases.
• Short sleep duration is linked to a physiological stress response that can disrupt gut microbiota function.
• Dysbiosis, or imbalance in gut microbial communities, has been observed in both circadian disrupted mice and humans experiencing jet lag.
• There is a hypothesis that sleep and circadian disruption may alter gut microbiota, potentially leading to inflammation and metabolic disease.

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