Measures to counteract the negative effects of night work

Does workplace health promotion reach shift workers?

“…For example, observational studies suggest that the combination of shift work and hazardous health behaviors such as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity interacted synergistically with regard to their negative effect on cardiac modulation (30), coronary heart disease (31), and daytime sleepiness and insomnia (32). Additionally, changes in dietary habits and physical activity are suggested as means to alleviate the potential disruption of circadian rhythms associated with some shift schedules (3,33). Four of the six types of health promotion under study addressed "classic" types of health behaviors (smoking, dietary habits, and physical activity) and could be described as primary prevention.…”

The effect of bright light on sleepiness among rapid-rotating 12-hour shift workers

“…Circadian rhythms are generated by a central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the anterior hypothalamus, and are synchronized to the external environment (5,6). Light regulates this pacemaker, independent of the timing of the sleep/wake cycle (7,8).…”

Spectrum Actigraphy Sleep and Caregiver Wellbeing

“…The long-term goal of this research agenda is to determine if ergonomic lighting interventions used in combination with actigraphy device monitoring and real-time network controlled light-levels impact the sleep cycle and reduce the risk of disease for large groups of in situ shift workers over time. Substantial laboratory research has proposed that the circadian clock may be regulated by lighting interventions (Yoon, et al 2002;Boivin and James, 2002;Figueiro andRea, 2006, 2010;Grundy et al, 2009;Pallesen et al, 2010;Kantermann & Roenneberg, 2009;Sahin et al, 2013, Sahin& Figueiro, 2014Guo et al, 2014). Field research in varied industry sectors amongthe narrow bandwidth of 211 to 405 produce reductions in melatonin production in healthy human subjects that directly influences the sleep cycle (Brainard et al, 2013).…”