What is Shift Work?

What is shift work?


What Professions Participate in Shift Work

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

  • Roughly 15% of full-time wage and salary workers in the U.S. work on shifts outside the traditional daytime schedule.
  • Most shift workers are in service occupations, like protective service (such as police and firefighters), food preparation and serving, healthcare, and transportation. 

Why Do People Work Shift Schedules?

When asked, people state many reasons for working on shift schedules. For example: 

  • Shift work is the “nature of the job.”
  • Shift work allows for better arrangements for family or childcare.
  • Shift work is the only option available.
  • Shift work is a personal preference.
Shift work is vital in many industries, and we rely on shift workers to provide important services off-hours.

How Does Shift Work Affect Your Health and Well being?

Unfortunately, shift work can also be very disruptive to a person’s health and wellbeing. In a 2008 National Sleep Foundation poll, only 63% of shift workers (versus 89% of non-shift workers workers) said their work schedule allows them to get enough sleep.

They were significantly more likely to sleep fewer than 6 hours on workdays, to work more hours per week on average, and to experience drowsy driving at least once a month in the previous year.

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What Problems Come From Shift Work?

Not all shift workers suffer from sleep issues. But, approximately 10% of night and rotating shift workers are thought to have a sleep disorder known as shift work disorder

Between roughly 25-30% of shift workers experience symptoms of the disorder such as excessive sleepiness or insomnia.

Shift work is also linked to additional problems with physical and mental health, performance, and safety.

It’s important that shift workers learn specific techniques for improving sleep and managing schedules, to allow for the best sleep and health possible.