Does shift work take 10 years off your life? (2023)

Does shift work affect life expectancy?

In fact, those working for more than 15 years on rotating night shifts had a 38% higher risk of dying from heart disease than nurses who only worked during the day. Surprisingly, rotating night shifts were also linked to a 25% higher risk of dying from lung cancer and 33% greater risk of colon cancer death.

Recent research showed the brains of workers who'd done 10 years of night shifts had aged by an extra six-and-a-half years.

Besides the effect on physical health, persons working night shifts are more likely to experience chronic sleep deprivation, poor-quality sleep, or sleep disorders,^4,62 which can then lead to disruptions in mental health¹ and impairment of cognitive function.

The stress of shiftwork also can aggravate health conditions, such as heart disease or digestive disorders. How do these hazards occur? Working at night makes it difficult to get enough sleep. Sleep after night work usually is shorter and less refreshing or satisfying than sleep during the normal nighttime hours.

For ageing employees, night work reduces sleep quality and recovering from demanding shifts takes more time. Based on new research results, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health recommends providing employees over 50 years of age with better opportunities to reduce night shifts and long hours.

They estimated that 10 years of shift work had the effect of ageing the brain by an extra 6.5 years, based on the results of the cognitive tests. They also concluded that it took five years to recover that level of function after stopping shift work. So is the “graveyard shift” really killing our brain cells?

55 or more work hours a week is unhealthy.

Recent studies have found that when people work more than 54 hours a week, on average, their risk of stroke and dying of heart disease goes up significantly. However, everyone is wired differently, so working 45 hours a week may be just as unhealthy for some.

The experiment confirms that working longer causes better health – specifically longer life expectancy. Men ages 62-65 who worked longer due to the policy change saw a two-month increase in life expectancy during their late 60s.

The typical healthy work week consists of 40 hours or less (A 38-hour week is optimal according to a study by time management expert Laura Vanderkam as relayed by Atlassian), a consistent schedule, and an array of workplace systems that set employees up for success.

What is the best shift to work?

So, what is the best shift to work? For most, the morning shift (approximately 7am-3pm) is best as it allows for a productive workday whilst not sabotaging time away from your loved ones. It is least likely to negatively impact your health as gaining adequate sleep and vitamin D is achievable for most.

Risks of Working the Night Shift

Night shifts pose health risks by disrupting the body's circadian system, and going against its natural sleep patterns. Without proper self-care, there's the potential of developing health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and weight gain.

Shift work is linked to poorer working memory and slower mental processing speed, according to Austrian researchers, who warned it may heighten the risk of workplace injuries and errors.

It takes about 10 days for the body to adjust to night shift work. However, it is common for night shift workers to revert to daytime routines for a day or two during days off, which tends to make the circadian rhythm unstable.

But the short answer is yes. Many individuals can manage to work the night shift, and there is typically a financial incentive provided by the employer for the employee to do so. Premium pay tends to be a significant factor in working the night-shift.

keep nightwork to a minimum. Three 8-hour or two 12-hour night shifts are the recommended maximum number of consecutive shifts which should be worked.

Most healthy adult night shift workers, still require the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep despite working non-traditional hours. Though some deem this almost impossible, taking naps, optimizing your sleep environment and considering food/beverage timing are useful strategies to maximize the sleep you do get.

For example, if you are working a week of nights and sleep from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. during this time, on your days off, try to sleep from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. These four hours will be the same regardless of your shift and you will be sleeping at least half the time during hours normally reserved for sleep.

Long-term health risks

When you are working for 12 hours there is often little time before, during and after your shifts to eat healthy meals or exercise properly. This combined with fatigue and other adverse factors can result in some serious health risks including depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Abstract. Sleep deprivation and the consequent circadian clock disruption has become an emergent health question being associated with premature aging and earlier chronic diseases onset. Night-shift work leads to circadian clock misalignment, which is linked to several age-related diseases.

Do people who work out age slower?

Anti-Aging Cardio Workout

The Brigham Young University study found that people who ran 30 to 40 minutes at high intensity five days a week were consistently biologically younger than those who followed more moderate exercise programs, or who led sedentary lifestyles.

Night shift can shorten your life if you don't prioritize sleep, consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly and make time for the things you enjoy. Though night shift does have its perks, workers are at a heightened risk of suffering sleep deprivation, weight fluctuations, depression, medical issues and accidents.

Scientists say that people who work in manual labour jobs are more at risk of dying early, even though they agree exercise is necessary to keep healthy. Researchers suggest the hours of high-strain repetitive movements involved in manual labour are harsher on the body than the shorter burst of a jog or workout.

The experiment confirms that working longer causes better health – specifically longer life expectancy. Men ages 62-65 who worked longer due to the policy change saw a two-month increase in life expectancy during their late 60s.

It is very hard for night shift workers to get enough sleep during the day. They get a daily average of two to four hours less sleep than normal. It is hard for them to get their bodies to fall asleep during the day. Over time, this can develop into a case of insomnia.

Doctor. When it comes to overall physical, mental, and fiscal health, doctors have the highest wellbeing score in America.

The rate at which health deteriorates with age is faster in manual occupations than in non-manual occupations. For many people, work wears out their health. Despite the fact that women live longer than men on average, women around the world report worse health than men until age 60-65.