In today's 24/7 world, shift work has become commonplace. We have contact center employees, firemen, security and medical personnel around the world who are obliged to work the graveyard shift. They are basically going against what is now revealed by countless studies as being hardwired in humans: the need for sleep.

It is generally held that an average human being needs 6 to 8 hours of sleep to function at its best during waking hours. As the world is becoming more dependent on shift work, more and more people are obliged to work during nighttime well until dawn the next day.

This can result in shift work sleep disorder.

The symptoms of shift work sleep disorder are:

• Insomnia
• Disrupted sleep schedule
• Strain with personal relationships
• Irritability/mood swings or a depressed mood
• Reduced work performance Sleepiness/drowsiness at work

This type of sleep disorder can be dangerous especially for people who work in industries where attention and judgement is critical. Investigation to some of the worst industrial disasters (Exxon Valdez oil spill and Three Mile Island nuclear power plant meltdown) have pointed to fatigue and poor judgment brought on sleep deprivation.

Shift workers need not add more stress on themselves by asking for reassignment of work schedules. There are a lot of ways where the body can adjust to shift work and sleeping time can be readjusted during daytime.

It is to be stressed that night is the best time for sleep, but for some for us who are shift workers or obliged to have their work late at night till morning the following would be great tips for those to adjust and cope with working late at night. These too are noteworthy for shift supervisors.

• Decrease the number of night shifts worked in a row. Shift workers working the night shift have less sleep than day workers and can become progressively more sleep deprived over several days. If working a 12-hour shift instead of the usual 8 hours, it is recommended that one limit work to four shifts in a row. Every shift worker should optimally have more than 48 hours off after a string of night shifts.

• Arrange to sleep uninterrupted in a quiet, dark room during the day. Make appointments outside your sleeping time. Friends and family should be informed not to disturb you during your daytime sleep schedule. Make your sleep time "sacred".

• Avoid reliance on stimulants, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. At best, caffeine and other "all-nighters" fool the body into thinking its functioning properly.

• Develop and follow a sleep routine. It's best if you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Try not to vary this too much on weekends. Your body likes routine.

• Take extra care to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. The body is subjected to extra stress during shift work so having a healthier lifestyle makes you work more efficiently.

These tips given should never be construed as medical advice. It is best to consult a qualified medical professional if there is suspected shift work sleep disorder or if you are having a hard time coping with shift work.