How Does Shift Work Impact Your Health?
Shift work is known to be different and to have other challenges than the traditional work hours. It is clear that there are some health merits that appear. Shift work was designed in order to aid the workflow processes between employee, tasks and employers. As time passed, workers started to receive improved health plans, remuneration and health products. Shift workers were given extra time to do personal tasks in order to protect mental health. These extras are justified because shift work can be dangerous.
photo/ Patrick Neufelder
Medical and scientific communities proved the fact that there are health problems shift workers need to worry about. This is true for any profession, from plumbers in Mornington Peninsula to office workers in New York. People that do shift work basically have a much higher possibility of being faced with mental health challenges and health disorders. This is why a really good healthcare plan is necessary for absolutely every single worker, no matter the work schedule.
According to numerous researches, scientists concluded that those workers that are at increased risk of suffering chronic diseases, ailments or mental health challenges are the shift workers. This includes professions like doctors, police officers, flight attendants and nurses. We have to acknowledge that shift work is basically categorized as a job that has a schedule involving uncommon hours or hours that are unusual when compared to the traditional schedule.
Shift work also means rotating shifts, evening shifts, working overnight and the other flexible patterns arranged or desired by employers. Shift workers have to be assisted with as much as possible. This usually just includes having first aid boxes on site but in reality, this is not actually enough.
The BLS shows that over 16% of the salary workers and the full-time wage workers now do alternative shifts. This is a very interesting discovery since the percentage is much higher than what it was initially believed. The really common alternative shifts are the evening shifts, with working hours that start at around 2 PM and last till midnight. It is common that the working schedules change because of the irregular working shifts, which can increase hormonal imbalances and mental health problems.
Out of the various potential health problems associated with shift work, the one that is the most documented is the increased type 2 diabetes risk. This is quite a red flag that has to be considered. When you take into consideration the fact that the shift workers face a type 2 diabetes increased risk that is as high as 42%, it is something that can be disastrous for many. Health products have to be included for day-to-day use to protect against this. Obviously, supplementation stands out as the most important thing with such situations.
Another thing that was shown was that the shift workers that are rotating night shifts for many years (over 15) are at a higher increase of dealing with lung cancer or poor mental health in the future. Enhancing maintenance and longevity by using appropriate health products automatically becomes necessary. Do not underestimate the impact of shift work on your health.
Author: Andrew Simmons
