Transcript Slide 1

The Impact of Shift Work
On
Health and Diet
Shiftwork
Any work regularly undertaken outside “normal”
working hours
07:00 – 18:00
Nights
Early am
Evening
Fixed
Rotating
Eight hour
Twelve hour
Statistics
Approx 3.6m UK
(1-7 of workforce)
men > women
↑ Transport & Communication
sector (26%)
Most common occupational
group of women working
shifts is nurses
UK employees
work longer
hours than other
European
workers
UK mean for
males in FT
employ is 45.8
hours per week
(EU mean 41.3)
UK mean for
females is 40.6
hours per week
(EU mean 39.0)
Shift Work
Health Specifics
Circadian Rhythms
Effects
•
Circadian disruption
•
Sleep loss/debt
•
Fatigue
•
Social disruption
•
Health implications
Adjustment to shiftworking
Stress
Strain
Sleep Disturbance
Organisational
Implications
Mood changes
Functionality Reduced
Adjustment to shiftworking
stress
strain
Phase-shifting of
waking and
sleeping hours
Impaired
performance
Impaired health
Disturbed
relationships
modifying
factors
organisational
effects
> Absenteeism
> Accidents
> Labour turnover
< Productivity
Individual
characteristics
Job-related factors
Environment
Domestic
Colquhoun & Rutenfranz 1980
Studies show that staff can be prone to:
•Serious illness
•Stress
•Sleep disorders
•Accidents
The evidence points to:
The ‘phase shift’ experienced in night and
rotating shift work
Involves desynchronization at the molecular
level in the circadian oscillators
in the central nervous tissue
and in most peripheral tissues of the body
Desynchronization
There is a change in the coordination between
oscillators
with transient loss of control by the
master-oscillator
‘The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus’
(SCN)
Located in the hypothalamus
Critical
The body’s various Circadian Rhythms are
“reset”
every 24 hours by environmental cues
e.g. light and darkness & melatonin
Positives




Flexibility
Financial
Free time
Family
Positives




Flexibility
Financial
Free time
Family
Negatives




Sleep deprivation
Acknowledgement
Society still 9-5
Spaced
Extraneous Supports
“The ability to effectively manage the
juggling act between paid work and the
other activities that are important to
shift workers”
– Family/Friends
– Recreation
– Spiritual
– Health and Wellness
– Finances
– Work & colleagues
Potential effects
cardiovascular
mental health
Stress
immune system
gastrointestinal
musculoskeletal
social effects
Fatigue
Exposure
performance impairment
safety problems
over-exposure
Gastrointestinal disorders and shiftwork
Indigestion
(Chan et al. 1987)
(Poole et al. 1992)
Reflux
Peptic Ulceration
(Waterhouse et al. 1992)
Related to:
irregular hours
circadian dysrhythmia
poor catering facilities
inequality in GP access
Cardiovascular problems of shiftwork
Liu & Tanaka 2002
Working hours related to Acute Myocardial Infarction:
•increased risk in year prior to AMI
•increased risk in month prior to AMI
•x 2 increase in risk for overtime (>61 hours)
•x 2-3 increase in risk for <5 hours sleep
•x 2-3 increase for lack of sleep (2 or more days with <5 hours sleep)
Overtime work and lack of sleep may be related to AMI
Energy & Fatigue Cycle
Energy Slump
Guilty
Ashamed
Failure
Angry
Exhausting
Fix it
Psychological
Chocolate
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Coffee
Drugs
Neurological
Nauseous
Irritated
Drunk
Depressed
Hostile
Dopamine
Serotonin
GABA
Adrenalin
Physiological
Psychological
Boost
Relaxed
Calm
Feels good
Blood Sugar levels
Serotonin
Tired
Depressed
Lethargic
Fuzzy
Isolated
Run Down
Edgy
Lost
Tearful
Irritable
Stressed
Reactive
Faint
Suicidal
Hopeless
Sleep Problems
Sleep problems
Craves Sugars
Poor concentration
Poor Concentration
ß-Endorphins
Low pain threshold
Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are made from essential amino acids.
There are hundreds of neurotransmitters: 6 main ones:
•Adrenalin
•Dopamine (Noradrenalin)
•Endorphins
•Serotonin
•Acetylcholine
•GABA
Adrenalin
Has the opposite effect of insulin – 1st messenger
hormone and will be released when the glucose level
in blood is low.
As neurotransmitter it has an effect on the
sympathetic nervous system.
(heart, lungs, blood vessels, bladder & gut)
Dopamine
Associated with:
• Pleasure
• Alertness
• Concentration
• Euphoria
-ve = PD & Sc
all proteins (meat, milk products, fish, beans, nuts, soy products).
Endorphins
The brains natural opiates
They bind to specific opiate receptors in the brain
and induce pain relief.
Also known as the runners ‘high’
Serotonin
Associated with:
• Moods
• Sleep
• Dreams
• Bp
• Digestion
• Body temperature
pasta, starchy vegetables, potatoes, cereals, breads.
Acetylcholine
Associated with:
• Memory
• Alertness
• Learning ability
• Concentration
• -ve Alz
• Egg yolks, peanuts, wheat germ, liver, meat, fish, milk, cheese and
vegetables (especially broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower)
Essentials








Niacin B3
Folic acid
Pyridoxine B6
Vitamin C
Zinc
Magnesium
EFA’s
Tryptophan & tyrosine
Lunches


Core base of green salad
Walnuts & pecan nuts

Peppers

Tomatoes

Fresh lemon
Mood Enhancing Foods
Eggs
Fish & meat
Cottage cheese
Rice pasta
Crustacean vegetables
Short grain brown organic rice
Quinoa
Avocado
Legumes
Nutrient
Food sources
NT
Proposed effect
Protein
Meat, Milk, Eggs,
Cheese, Fish,
Beans
Dopamine,
Norepinephrine
Increased alertness, concentration
Carbohy
drate
(CHO)
Grains, Fruits,
Sugars
Serotonin
Increased calmness, relaxation
Calories
All Foods
Reduced blood
flow to the brain
Excess calories in a meal is associated
with decreased alertness and
concentration after the meal