Shifts

With the Industrial Revolution, a new rhythm of production began. Ever since, machines and busy-ness have been the focus of life's daily rhythms. With the invention of the light bulb, a new group of workers who sleep during the day and work during the night was created. From night watch guards to machine inspectors who take care of machines running 24 hours a day, they all have one thing in common: they are working against the original rhythm of nature. Although one might think that it is just a matter of time to adapt to the new circumstances, night work brings problems which cannot be solved by simply changing the worker’s attitudes or habits.

Day sleep has been found to be shorter, lighter, and more disrupted than night sleep generally. Although Night shift work is difficult, one report states that, "rotating shiftworkers sleep the least of all."(3)

In 1977, the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health reported that one fourth of Americans workers are involved in shift work. (2) The National Sleep Foundation found that approximately "25 million Americans are rotating shift workers. Studies suggest that 20 to 30% of those with nontraditional work schedules have had a fatigue-related driving mishap within the last year. The drive home from work after the night shift is likely to be a particularly dangerous one." (6)

There are some things that shift workers can do to improve their adaptability to get a good "night's" sleep. Lawrence Allen is a daytime sleep lab technician at Bayview sleep lab, but when working on a research project, he will work during the night.(1) Because of his knowledge of sleep, (While in the Army, he studied circadian rhythms

and jet lag.) Mr. Allen knows and takes advantage of a few tricks when working the night shift.

Tips for Shiftworkers' Sleep from one who knows:

Avoid caffeine. If you have any, be sure it is only at the very start of the shift.
If possible, leave work before the sun comes up.
Wear dark sunglasses on your way home. This is so that you don't expose yourself to too much light. (Otherwise, your brain would thinks it is time to be wide awake as opposed to winding down for sleep.) Avoid any light exposure for the period before you go to sleep.
Block out bedroom windows completely with foil.
Turn off the phone.
Do some planning. This type of routine takes discipline.

Ask others in your household to not interrupt your sleep.
Try to keep quiet in your sleeping room, or use earplugs.
Try to go to bed as early as possible after the night shift to maximize sleep efficiency. A U.S. NIOSH report (written by a contractor) noted that many workers need two shorter sleep periods instead of one only in order to get enough sleep after a night shift. "A second sleep also could be taken in the afternoon to get ready for night shift. Try taking advantage of the natural tendency to be sleepy in mid-afternoon." (3)
If you do take a nap at your workplace, a twenty-to-thirty minute nap should be the minimum, and "allow enough time for drowsiness to wear off before doing hazardous work." (3)

The U.S. federal government has begun a campaign to increase awareness of sleep issues to night shift workers, to try to prevent sleep-related accidents. Dr. Jesse Blatt previewed a new informational but humorous video, "Wake Up and Get Some Sleep," for the Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board of the NCSDR meeting (Mar. 1999)(9). The video is being tested in a variety of shiftworker settings to see if it can help to promote improved sleep hygiene and safety.

Other countries, like Australia, have similar research and campaigns. Australian state and national rail organizations were the ones to initiate a study by the University of South Australia's Centre for Sleep Research which involved drivers from fourteen depots. They found drivers didn't get enough sleep (counted as at least 5-6 hours) when they had less than an 11 hour break off of work, and that the only way they got enough sleep was if their break began sometime between 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. The researcher, Adam Fletcher, was quoted as saying "The main message people need to accept is that even moderate amounts of fatigue can be as dangerous as being over the legal limit for alcohol. That's a comparison people [need and] seem to be able to grasp." (4)

Private companies and medical centers have both realized the cost to productivity and, in order to improve sleep hygiene

and safety, have begun to offer services to employers and employees involved in shiftwork. Several of these businesses can be found on the web at www.shiftwork.com, www.shiftworker.com

, or www.nightshift.com (5)

(1) Nadeaux, Carol, and Lawrence Allen. Interview of sleep lab technicians by Emilie Sutterlin. Baltimore, Maryland, visit to the Bayview Sleep Disorders Center, Johns Hopkins University, Feb. 5, 1999.

(2) Maas, James B. Power Sleep: the revolutionary progam that prepares your mind for peak performance. New York: Villard, 1998. 109 p.

(3) Rosa, Roger R. and Mihael J. Colligan. Plain language about shiftwork. Cincinnatti, OH, U.S. National Institute for Ocupational Safety and Health. Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science. Education and Information Division, 1997, p. 14-15, 28-29. For more information of questions, call NIOSH, at 1-800-356-4674.

(4)"Shiftworker sleep patterns." Safety news, April 1999, as found on www.safetynews.com/news.sn9904/n9.shtml as of June 19, 1999.

(5) Circadian technologies, inc. Circadian Information, 125 CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA provide this website at: www.shiftwork.com

This site preesents a lot of information about Circadian rhythms, including a glossary, and shiftworker practices, gives a Shiftworker Survey results, and offers extensive consulting, workshops, and other services.

http://www.shiftworker.com Includes a 19 page publication related to shift scheduling: "Should We Go to 12's? Shiftwork:Train-The-Trainer ; Shiftwork Training ; Consultation ; ShiftTalk; Sleep Loss and Chronic Fatigue ; Safety Issues; Shift Scheduling ; Night Light On: Real Stories From Real Shiftworkers and Managers; Research Reports. By INTERFACE:Work/Family Janie O'Connor M.Ed 3545 Owasso St #106 St. Paul,Minnesota 55126

www.nightshift.com offers'ShiftTalk' Info Sheets; 'Dealing With Shiftwork' Brochure; Nightshift Mail;Shiftwork Articles... Night Shift Archives; Shiftwork Training, and more.

(6) National Sleep Foundation. "Drive alert; arrive alive: Facts about drowsy driving!" http://www.sleepfoundation.org/activities/daaafacts.shtml, as of Aug. 11, 1999.

(7)For more information see: "NIOSH Suggests Aprroaches on Shiftwork to Reduce Worker Fatigue, Stress." Shift work/sleep safety- USA gov't., Centers for Disease Control, Occupational safety and Health info. National Institute forOccupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Update, Nov. 4, 1997 URL: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/shift.shtml

(8) For more information see: "New Survey Shows Sleeplessness and Pain Taking Toll on U.S. Workforce." Columbus Community Hospital Regional Sleep Disorders Center. Washington, DC, March 27, 1997URL: URL: http://members.tripod.com/~sleephealth/indus1.shtml

(9) Dr. Jesse Blatt previewed the video, "Wake Up and Get Some Sleep," for the Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board of the NCSDR meeting (Mar. 1999) Bethesda, M.D., NIH.

Shift Work and Sleep

Tips for Shiftworkers' Sleep from one who knows: