

This reversal of light and dark suppresses melatonin production and release. When you work the night shift, you are exposed to light during hours of the day when your body expects it to be dark. That can compound the problems you already have and lead to more serious medical concerns. If you work the night shift for prolonged periods of time, all the effects mentioned above can accumulate and cause gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea and ulcers. 8) Increases risk of gastrointestinal problems The real danger here is that even if you eat a healthy diet, the hormone imbalance can still lead to obesity and diabetes. In the case of night-shift workers, these disorders are caused by an imbalance in hormone production. Sleeping during the day and working at night increases your risk of obesity and diabetes. That can lead to the next set of disorders on this list.ħ) Increases risk of obesity and diabetes Working the night shift interferes with the production and circulation of this vital hormone. The hormone leptin, for example, plays a critical role in regulating your weight, blood sugar, and insulin levels. Your metabolism is mostly governed by your hormones. In certain jobs, when you’re not able to give your work complete attention, the risk of injury increases dramatically. That leads to a reduction in focus, attention, productivity, and fine motor skills. You can certainly force yourself to stay awake and mobile, but your body still wants to shut down. Working the night shift means working against your body’s natural inclination to turn off certain key functions like consciousness and mobility. Numerous studies show that the risk of depression and mood disorders increase when you work the night shift. Working the night shift also has a negative impact on your mental health. The study did not address why the risk was greater for those who work the night shift, but researchers theorize that the change in sleep habits affects blood pressure and circulation. 3) Increases risk of heart attackĪ 2012 study in the British Medical Journal concluded that working the night shift caused a seven-percent increase in the likelihood that a person would suffer a heart attack. And it doesn’t matter if you work the night shift consistently or just one night a week. Women who work overnight are at much greater risk of contracting breast cancer than those who only work during the day. That can lead to many of the disorders on this list. Working the night shift interferes with those essential processes. While you slumber, your body gets rid of toxins, repairs injury, and reduces stress. Sleep is extremely important for your overall health. Here’s how working the night shift can affect your health. But if this retraining isn’t done correctly-or isn’t done at all-you can begin to suffer serious medical issues. That said, it is possible to retrain your body to sleep during the day and stay awake during the night. Most of the time, it’s not a good idea to go against what mother nature put in place.

Working the night shift forces your body to operate on a schedule that goes against its natural circadian rhythms.
