Are nightshifts are bad for health???

India
October 1, 2010 7:52am CST
I am into nightshifts from past 3 years. My shift times are from 7 pm to 4 am. Once i am back from office, I take a bath and go to bed around 5 am. Then I sleep for 6-8 hours. This is my daily routine from past 3 years. Now the problem is, I can't able to control my sleep during my office hours (which never happened earlier). I doze off several times during my meeting's, or while working in front of my laptop. How much I try, I can't able to control it. IS IT BECAUSE OF MY NIGHTSHIFTS?
6 responses
@jlov101 (79)
• Philippines
21 Oct 10
Your body clock may have changed. I'm working on a night shift as well and noticed that I had a difficulty adjusting my body clock or circadian rhythm. I guess working on a night shift for a long time is bad for our health. You can consult a doctor to give you medical advice about your situation.
• India
23 Oct 10
I don't want to visit a doctor. Because I know well he will keep me on medications and I hate to depend on tablets. I just want to control my dozing during my office hours which I am embarrassed off. Apart from that I don't have other health problems with the night shifts.
• Philippines
7 Oct 10
Hi,I have been working in a night shift for almost 7 years and until now I am not yet used to it,Im still sleepy while at work.I sleep for 6-8 hours also but still not enough.My body is still weak even if I had enough sleep in a day,it still wants me to sleep and yes I always sleep on my desk,I even sometimes consume the entire breaks just to sleep.
• India
8 Oct 10
7 years, that's quite long man. You too have the same problem as mine. I am thinking to switch my job to any day time job. I can't take it more and I feed guilty if I dose off at work.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
2 Oct 10
well i have been in a nightshift before and i managed but when the shift changes this is where i get a little late to come to work.
• India
2 Oct 10
I think rotational shifts are bad compare to night shift. It's difficult for the body to adjust with the timings which gets changed every few days.
• United States
1 Oct 10
I believe this is starting because your body is starting to get use to your routine and is now requiring a bit more rest. Maybe instead of the 6-8 hours of rest set your alarm so you get 8 full hours of sleep. Perhaps after 8 hours your body will develop a routine and after a while you will not require as much. Good luck with this it has to be hard to continue trying to defeat the irradical sleeping pattern.
• India
1 Oct 10
Thanks friend for your suggestion. I will try it. Lets see if 8 or more hours of sleep will help me to come out of this sleeping problem.
@Bellapop (1279)
4 Oct 10
Apparently yes. Nightshifts are not good for longterm health. Humans need to be asleep at night as we are programmed for the most effective process of healng and recovery during this time. We need to be awake during the day to absorb the sunlight that's available to us. I'm assuming that you would find it more difficult to sleep well during the day than at night. Try to get back into a normal pattern, it will take some time, but once you're body gets used to it, everything should be fine, good luck! :)
• United States
7 Oct 10
I think that as humans we have become accustomed to sleeping during night time, so even though you are getting the 6-8 hours, I guess it's because it's during the day. I would see your doctor and see if they have any suggestions about this dozing off thing?