Over and over again, I’ve heard shift workers say something like the following: “I have no rhythms.” “It’s just a constant experience of bleh.” “I get off shift, and more than tired, I just feel… flat.” “Ah,” I think when I hear this. “The amplitudes of their circadian rhythms have been squashed.” To steal an […]
Here again is our blog feature where we look on the internet for what folks are saying about their shift work, and try to speak to their experiences with the power of circadian science. First up: Reddit User: My shift is usually 7pm-3:15am. when i get off work i shower, eat, and watch some Netflix […]
So you want to help shift workers feel better—sleep better, be safer, have fewer of the long term chronic health problems that go hand in hand with shift work. How do you do it? Where do you start? As some of the most circadian-wrecked people around, shift workers have been the topic of no small […]
We’ve noticed a lot of shift worker communities online. I’m not talking about just a few here—I’m talking about hundreds. These communities also each tend to have thousands of active followers. Surprising, right? Until you remember that over 30 million people in the U.S. currently live with shift work. From Instagram accounts to Twitter hashtags, […]
Thanks for letting us interview you, Dr. O’Brien. Would you mind introducing yourself to our audience—where do you work, what do you do? I’m Louise O’Brien, an Associate Professor at the Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, at the University of Michigan. My work focuses mostly on sleep disruption in pregnant women and its […]
The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda In keeping with the theme of new beginnings, this January we introduced a book of the month. Join us as we work our way through books that highlight the importance of circadian and sleep health 😴 Up first: The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda of the Salk Institute for […]
What Exactly is Shift Work Disorder? Shift work disorder, or SWD, is a type of circadian rhythm sleep disorder which is caused by working shifts that do not fall within the conventional working hours of around 9 am – 5 pm. These shifts overlap with periods of significant light sensitivity which can cause shift workers […]
It’s no secret that working night shifts does a number on your body. From increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, to excessive alcohol consumption and worsened nutritional intake, shift work is associated with a whole host of nightmarish health effects. The simple solution would seem to be to get rid of jobs that […]
