There was a time when the night shift was reserved for essential workers only. However, it has become prevalent in the last few decades in many industries. This change has sparked some research into how working at night can affect workers’ health over time and what to do about it. While studies haven’t focused on Black Americans yet, there’s enough information to show how Black people might suffer from worse effects than other ethnicities.
According to several European studies, the negative impact of night shifts is related to the body’s circadian rhythm. Despite technological changes, the body is still hardwired to be more active during the day and rest at night.
When you work at night, your body is likely to be less effective and your job can make you more tired than if you were doing it during the day. Worse yet, trying to sleep during the day doesn’t have the same restorative effect because your body is still set to be active at that time.
As a result, prolonged night work can negatively affect your health. The studies found that people who work for more than eight hours at night and over five years are more likely to develop sleep disorders, digestive conditions, and certain cancers like breast, colon, ovaries, and prostate.
Extended night work can also make the immune system less effective and lead to poor eating habits, leading to obesity. Additionally, those who work the night shift eventually report high levels of chronic fatigue, emotional exhaustion, job stress, and decreased productivity.
To combat these issues, the EU issued a directive to limit night shifts to eight hours while requiring a rest break if the work hours exceed six hours. They also don’t allow any heavy lifting or dangerous work to be done after five to six hours of night work. Companies with a night shift must have a system in place that doesn’t require people to work the night shift continuously for more than five years.
RELATED: 5 Things Getting In The Way Of A Good Night’s Sleep
Though doctors aren’t sure why, research shows that Black Americans are more prone to poor sleep than other ethnicities. They’re more likely to have sleep apnea or insomnia and get less deep sleep when they finally fall asleep.
Black people also don’t usually sleep as long as other people. When it comes to the conditions that are already associated with poor sleep, Black people are also at a higher risk.
Statistics show that Black men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer while Black women are more prone to developing breast cancer than other ethnicities. To make things worse, they have higher mortality rates from these diseases as well. When combined with poor sleep, the effects could be even more pronounced.
Getting better sleep during the day combines a good sleep routine and convincing your body that it’s nighttime. Before getting home, you should avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol. You can have snacks but don’t have a heavy meal within two hours of trying to sleep. Your room should be cool and blackout curtains can help make it dark. If you have slight background noise, a white noise machine can help to drown it out but you should look into earplugs for anything louder.
It’s also good to find a sleep routine that works for you. Some people have success with staying awake for a couple of hours before going to sleep. Others take a split nap that includes going to sleep as soon as they get home, waking up after two or three hours to stay awake for an hour, and then going to sleep. You can experiment to find out what makes you feel more rested.
While there are several ways to encourage better sleep, your efforts may fail if you have a sleep disorder. If you’ve done everything you can to sleep well, it’s time to talk to your doctor about what may be wrong. Since studies show that Black Americans have a higher risk of developing insomnia and sleep apnea, you may need medical intervention to get a good night’s sleep.
Even if you don’t have a disorder, it can help to ask your doctor how you can sleep well while working the night shift. The aim is to make the most of the sleep you can get.
For some people, working the night shift is inevitable. Unless the laws change, you also might not have much say in how long these shifts last. The good news is that you can change your lifestyle to get better sleep when working a night shift. If nothing you do makes a difference, talk to your doctor.
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