10. Your Job Messes With Your Body Clock
Not everyone’s workday is structured in the usual nine-to-five manner. More than 22 million Americans, in fact, work evening, rotating, or on-call shifts. Working non-traditional hours has numerous obstacles. Keeping up with relatives and friends can be difficult. You may feel estranged from those you care about the most. You might have difficulty arranging your time and activities. You may be disappointed to learn that most activities are organized around the usual day worker’s schedule. It may appear that no one is thinking about your requirements. Shift employment may also be detrimental to your physical health. It can be difficult to obtain enough sleep to stay properly rested. This can increase your chances of getting sick. It also makes staying alert on the work difficult. While this can impair your performance, it can also endanger you. Being weary raises your chances of suffering a work-related injury. When you are drowsy, even driving home from work is dangerous. One of the most difficult aspects of shift work is that you must sleep against the clock. Your brain contains an internal body clock that generates circadian rhythms. The term “circadian” refers to events that occur in a 24-hour cycle. These rhythms work as “messages,” regulating numerous physiological functions. This happens at regular intervals throughout the day. Your exposure to sunshine, among other things, “sets” your clock. This keeps the clock in sync with the night/day cycle. Circadian rhythms cause your level of sleepiness to peak in most adults between midnight and 7 a.m.
Overall, shift workers are frequently sleep deprived. Night shift workers have a difficult time getting adequate sleep throughout the day. They sleep two to four hours less per day than the usual person. It is difficult for them to get their bodies to sleep during the day. This can progress into sleeplessness over time. They are also far more prone to be startled awake by noises or persons. As a result, they get extremely little sleep. When they wake up, they are less likely to feel refreshed.
It’s hard sometimes to kick the habits that we have become accustomed to, or to find work that allows our bodies to heal and grow at the rate and timeframe that they need – but if you feel your quality of sleep needs to improve so you can have more energy, consult a sleep specialist.
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