Working odd shifts in your youth can impact health in your 50s: Study
Odd shifts
Working irregular shifts in your youth can affect your health later in life, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Unlike previous research work done around the same topic, this research takes a 'life-course' approach. The research shows how one's work pattern during early adulthood can impact their life in the future.
The research divides work schedule patterns into four different categories as follows:
Standard
Starting at 6:00 AM or later and ending by 6:00 PM.
Evening
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Starting at 2:00 PM or later and ending by 12:00 AM.
Night
Starting at 9:00 PM or later and ending by 8:00 AM
Variable
Includes split shifts, rotating shifts, or irregular hours.
Dr. Wen-Jui Han, the only author of the study said, "About three-quarters of the work patterns we observed did not strictly conform to working stably during daytime hours throughout our working years."
Dr Han who is a professor at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University emphasised the findings of the research saying, "People with work patterns involving any degree of volatility and variability were more likely to have fewer hours of sleep per day, lower sleep quality, lower physical and mental functions, and a higher likelihood of reporting poor health and depressive symptoms at age 50 than those with stable standard work schedules."
How to minimise the negative effect of irregular work patterns?
While not everyone can switch jobs or work hours, people can incorporate healthy habits such as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and prioritising relaxation techniques to minimise the negative effects of working in odd schedules.
Racial and gender differences
The research also found racial and gender inequalities. For instance, black individuals were more likely to be given schedules associated with lower health outcomes. Meanwhile, women reported worse sleep quality, while having longer total sleep hours.
What was the methodology of the study?
The studyassessed data from more than 7,300 young adults (ages 14-22) who were monitored throughout the time. It noticed that people who went from having stable work schedules (beginning about 6:00 AMand ending around 6:00 PM) to irregular or unpredictable schedules between the ages of 22 and 49 had the poorest health results at age 50. It's interesting to note that the study indicates that irregular work schedules over time have a greater negative impact on long-term health thanperiods of unemployment.
