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The immediate disadvantages of an irregular work schedule are obvious. You may be tired all the time or miss spending time with loved ones.
More dire long-term effects may also be at play, according to a new study on the link between early-life work patterns and later health outcomes.
While multiple studies have shown how irregular working hours can negatively impact one's health and overall social life, a new paper takes a “life course” approach to this relationship, We're looking at how patterns affect health not just at one point in time, but throughout adulthood.
A new report published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE defines a standard work schedule as one that starts after 6 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. A night shift schedule means a shift that begins after 2:00 p.m. and ends at midnight, and a night shift schedule means a shift that begins after 4:00 p.m. After 9:00 p.m., Finishing by 8:00 a.m. Participants had “fluctuating” schedules where they split or rotated shifts or had irregular work hours.
“About three-quarters of the work patterns we observed did not strictly adhere to a steady stream of daytime work throughout the work period,” said the study's sole author, Silver Social said Dr. Han Wen Jui, a professor at the work school. He spoke in an interview conducted by this magazine at New York University.
“This has implications,” added Han, who specializes in social welfare policy with a focus on children and families. “People with work patterns that involve some degree of fluctuation or variability tend to sleep for less time each day, have poorer sleep quality, and have poorer physical and mental functioning at age 50 than those who do not.'' more likely to report poor health and symptoms of depression with a stable and standard work schedule.”
Han also investigated how these associations depend on social status, characterized by race/ethnicity, gender, and education.
Despite the challenges of today's work schedules, health experts say there are strategies people can use to reduce the negative effects.
To assess work shift issues, Han used data from more than 7,300 participants, about 50% of whom were white and 33% of whom were white. Black, 19% Hispanic. They were part of the 1979 National Longitudinal Study of Youth, a nationally representative sample of Americans from age 14 to age 22, surveyed at various points in time over time.
Han found that working early standard time between the ages of 22 and 49 and then moving to an unstable schedule was most associated with poorer health. This pattern was also associated with being in poor health and reporting symptoms of depression at age 50. The magnitude of the effect was comparable to having less than a high school level education, and the effect of working an unstable schedule was worse than being mostly unemployed. .
The study also revealed trends related to race and gender. For example, black Americans are more likely to have schedules associated with poorer health, and women sleep longer but have lower sleep quality.
Although the report does not fully account for the disproportionate impact on women and black people, its findings “speak to the intersectionality of employment status and social status, and that the “This highlights the substantial health disparities across the country.” the study. “The have-nots bear disproportionately the negative effects of precarious employment arrangements.”
Dr. Xiaoxi Yao, a professor of health services research at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, said the study's findings aren't necessarily “very surprising,” but they are “very timely and concerning.” She was not involved in the study.
Yao said in an email that because of advances in technology and the gig economy, people are working more non-standard schedules than they were decades ago, especially since the pandemic.
“While people in higher socio-economic status may enjoy the flexibility of working anytime and anywhere, so-called vulnerable groups may not have a choice,” Yao said. added. “While we often worry about the wages and benefits of these workers, this study shows that nonstandard work schedules and hours may inherently put workers at risk. It points out.”
Explain the relationship between shift work and health
There are several theories that could explain the findings, but the study itself shows only an association, not causation, experts said.
“A person may have several risk factors that make it difficult to find a stable job and increase the likelihood of developing the disease,” Yao says. “Using current data, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions that work schedules/hours caused adverse health effects.”
But at the same time, this finding is based on a growing body of evidence.
The study's findings are “consistent with what everyone in public health knows: The type of work you do determines your daily life and, crucially, your income and earnings, and therefore the health outcomes of people.” depends on a myriad of factors, including a person's job.'' Liana Wen, CNN Wellness contributor, emergency physician and adjunct professor of health policy and management at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. The doctor said in an email: Wen was not involved in this research.
Nonstandard schedules can make it difficult to maintain important lifestyle habits for good health, such as sleeping well, eating at regular times, and spending time with loved ones, says the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Science. said Dr. Azizi Seixas, Deputy Director of . The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine was not involved in this study.
Additionally, economic instability due to some non-standard jobs can also cause anxiety, Yao said. And if this job involves working independently, the lack of a stable social environment can lead to a diminished sense of belonging and identity.
Dr. Christian Benedict, a sleep researcher who was not involved in the study, noted that the findings may not apply to everyone.
“For example, Dr. Han's study did not examine people's natural sleep-wake cycles,” Benedict, an associate professor of pharmacology at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in an email. “It's important to recognize that late-night shifts may be more suited to people who are natural night owls than those who prefer to rise early.”
Changing your schedule or job to avoid non-standard work hours may not be feasible for some, but making other changes such as healthy eating, exercise, relaxation, and spending time with friends and family may be unfeasible for some. Yao said strategies can be used to offset the potential harms of the job.
Additionally, having some sort of routine or schedule in place before and after your shift can make it easier to engage in health-promoting activities, especially sleep, Yao added.
Benedict said try to optimize your sleep conditions as much as possible, such as sleeping in a dark, cool room and asking family members to respect your sleep schedule.
He added that past research has shown that avoiding eating late at night can counteract the negative health effects of shift work. Be sure to also schedule regular health checkups and seek professional guidance if you have ongoing health concerns.
Seixas says, “By incorporating these strategies into daily life, individuals can proactively reduce the negative health effects of nonstandard work schedules and promote overall well-being despite the constraints of employment status.” You can.”
