Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD) is found in people who rotate their work shift frequently and/or work at night. These work schedules mean the individual does not sleep during the traditional night hours and this goes against our body’s natural Circadian rhythm. This change in the body’s rhythm may cause the individual difficulty in adjusting to their sleep schedule and the related symptoms are commonly referred to as SWSD. This disorder is most commonly found in those individuals who work between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. About 25% of shift workers do suffer from SWSD.

Those suffering with SWSD typically experience, along with insomnia and excessive sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, headaches and lack of energy. These sleep disorder symptoms can eventually lead to reduced productivity and increased sick leave. People with SWSD have been found to be twice as likely to have a work-related accident. Twenty percent of these night workers report falling asleep during work. Studies of shift workers have revealed that 60% doze off during work about once a week.

The National Institute for Psychosocial Factors and Health, Stockholm, Sweden studies in Shift Work Sleep Disorder have found that the pronounced sleepiness “clearly constitutes a hazard that may endanger human lives and have large economic consequences.”

Avoiding effects of Shift Work Sleep Disorder will require workers making their sleep schedules a top priority. Most of us need seven to nine hours of sleep each day and the proper amount of sleep is even more vital for shift workers. You must create a strict schedule for sleep and work to prepare your body each for a peaceful sleep. This preparation may include wearing dark sunglasses on the drive home from work, following regular bedtime rituals, and in some cases natural / herbal sleep aids. Be sure to go to sleep as soon as possible after work. Your sleep time at home should be as quiet and peaceful as possible. Ask your family and friends to help create this environment. Maybe have family members only listen to music or the television with headphones. Be sure to put a “Do Not Disturb – Night Shift Worker” sign on your door so that delivery people, etc will not ring the doorbell.

Your continuing treatment of Shift Work Sleep Disorder will require you to avoid caffeine and other stimulants before your sleep schedule. Be sure to get plenty of sleep on your days off, and if it is possible, decrease the number of shift work days in a row. It would be better to work four ten hour days with three days off as opposed to five eight hour days with two days off. Additionally, try to avoid shifting schedules. Keeping a strict routine will help your body establish new sleep rhythms.

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