Working Night Shift Can Lead To Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Sleep disorders are unfortunately common in our world today. There are more people than ever that struggle with serious issues that can make it extremely difficult in order to get the sleep they need each and every night. While there are many different types of sleep disorders, for many hard-working professionals, one of the most serious of these sleep issues is a condition known as shift work sleep disorder. As the name suggests, this is a sleep disorder that most commonly impacts individuals who work night shifts.

There are some people who are able to adjust to this sleep schedule and who ultimately find it does not lead to any type of sleep disorder. However, there are just as many people who ultimately develop a sleeping condition that can have some serious issues if not diagnosed properly. If you feel as though you may be developing a shift work sleep disorder, the first and most important thing to do is to look for the signs and symptoms of this condition so you can get professional help.

However, first, it is important to have a general understanding of what shift work sleep disorders, how they develop and what other conditions can develop as a side effect.

What is Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD)?

Cure Sleep Disorder with Pillow Top Mattress

If you aren’t already familiar with Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD), it is important to have a general understanding of what this condition is and how it happens. SWSD typically affects people who work “shifts” outside of the typical 9 – 5 work day. When people are working at night and therefore need to sleep during the day, it can take a major toll on the internal body clock and impact their circadian rhythms. This is because they need to force themselves to adjust to different sleep and wake schedules. It can be harder than it seems to train your body to fall asleep when it is light out and to wake up in the evening—and to go against their natural sleep patterns.

Shift work sleep disorders are more common than many people realize. In fact, about 20% of all fulltime workers today work on these off-shifts and therefore are prone to suffering from SWSD. If you are struggling with your sleep, then you may have a sleep condition building. If left untreated, these issues may only worsen over time.

What Are the Consequences of Shift Work Sleep Disorder?

Now that you have a better idea of what shift work sleep disorder is, it is time to take a look at what consequences can come from dealing with SWSD. Many of us are used to being tired during the day. After all, it is not uncommon for most of us to feel tired throughout our work day and overly groggy.

However, the issue with Shift Work Sleep Disorder is that it persists and means that those who suffer from this condition are in a constant state of sleep deprivation. This can lead to serious consequences such as:

Errors in the workplace
Accidents both in and out of the workplace
Issues with social function
Lapses in judgement
Irritability
Unexplained mood swings
Issues with coping
Heal issues including metabolic problems
Extreme stress
Cardiovascular issues
Gastrointestinal problems—issues digesting food
Drug dependency
Alcoholism

These consequences are extremely important for anyone dealing with this condition, but are particularly serious for the many people who work night shifts because they are in the healthcare and medical field—a field where the ability to focus is of the utmost importance. One of the main consequences of this disorder is being excessively sleepy during times when you need to be awake and alert.

There are also many people who develop insomnia as a result of this condition. For these people, no matter how tired they may be and how desperately they may need sleep when they are done eating—they still simply cannot fall asleep at night when they need to. With more and more people than ever struggling with Shift Work Sleep Disorder due to their work schedule, it is paramount that they are able to get their condition diagnosed so that they can get the professional help they need.

How to Diagnose Shift Work Sleep Disorder?

The key to getting ahead of Shift Work Sleep Disorder is to make sure that you get the condition diagnosed as soon as possible. The first thing that you can do is be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of this condition.

How exactly do you know if you are suffering from Shift work Sleep Disorder? Common symptoms include:

Difficulty falling asleep
Issues staying asleep in the middle of the night
Excessive sleepiness
Issues concentrating
Lack of energy
Lethargy
Restlessness
Headaches

If you are struggling with these conditions and also work night shifts—then it may be time to visit your doctor. Only a medical professional can really give you this diagnosis and help you determine what the right course of action is for you to get back on track and back to the healthy sleep schedule that you have been looking for.

Lifestyle Change

SWSD is a serious matter. If left untreated, it can cause serious health issues and ultimately cause dangerous accidents in the workplace. If you need to work during these nighttime or graveyard shifts, but still want to make some lifestyle changes that can help lessen the severity of this disorder—you are in luck!

There are a few different things that experts recommend you try when you want to lessen the effects of Shift Work Sleep Disorder.

Try to keep your sleep schedule, even if it is a “non-traditional” schedule. This means, even on your days off, you should try to get up and go to bed at the same time.
If you are able to, take two days off after a long series of night shifts to give your body time to readjust.
Take naps when possible to make up for the sleep you may be missing out on.
Try to use a light box or lamps to expose yourself to light first thing in the morning, and darken your sleeping space in the evening to help your body get used to the light difference. This will help prevent your “daytime” clock from activating when you are really supposed to be sleeping.
Maintain a healthy diet and try to limit processed foods, sugars and carbs.
Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake for the 4-5 hours before you go to sleep.
Give yourself a night-time ritual before you go to bed. If you do the same thing right before bed every “night” it will become easier for your body to adjust to sleeping time.
Try a white noise machine or earplugs to drown out any distracting noise that may be keeping you up while you try to sleep—other people around you may not realize that it is your bed time.
Avoid blue light as much as you can for the 1-2 hours before you go to bed. It can mess with your internal clock and make you think it is time to stay up instead of going to bed. This means avoiding televisions, computers and phones.

Non-traditional work schedules can make sleeping very difficult. However, lifestyle changes like this really can go a long way in helping lessen

Living With Shift Work Sleep Disorder

If you are living with Shift Work Sleep Disorder currently, and are worried it is impacting your personal or professional life—then it is important to see your doctor right away. In the meantime, it is important to do your best to adapt these different aforementioned lifestyle changes in order to help you get better sleep. If you feel as though you may have an accident or cause harm to someone else because of the repercussions of your Shift Life Sleep Disorder, then you need to make changes in order to protect yourself or others, whether this means holding off on driving, or even taking some time off of work.

The good news is, as experts continue to learn more about Shift Work Sleep Disorder, new and developing treatments and medications are being introduced that can help those with this condition overcome the side effects. Many people find that Melatonin alone is a great way to help with their sleep issue, as it is a safe and natural sleep aid and an important vitamin.

Some doctors are prescribing sedatives and hypnotics, but those should only be used sparingly and under strict doctor supervision. Your best bet is to try to make lifestyle changes and do your best to cut out blue light, caffeine and alcohol before bed as all of these things can only make your sleep issues worse.

Get Ahead of Shift Work Sleep Disorder To Get Better Quality Sleep

The more you know about Shift Work Sleep Disorder, the better off you will be. Being able to understand and diagnose sleep disorders and this condition can help you find the right way to overcome it. After all, we all need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night and this sleep condition can have a serious impact on the quality of sleep you are able to get every night. Getting ahead of this sleep condition can help you get better, more restful and more restorative sleep every night—even if you must continue working in the evenings.

Shana Thompson is a full time professional writer and editor. Shana has worked extensively in the fields of content marketing, on-page and off-page SEO (guest posts, backlink acquisition), and creative writing. As an experienced pro content writer, Shana has worked on several magazines, publishing companies and marketing agencies. Many recent projects have included everything from nutrition and health services, where a lot of research and citations were needed, to writing about health, sustainable, eco-friendly products.

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