Does working nightshift really kill you early?

[ouro]

I did 10 hour night shifts for about 14 years and never felt right. There have been other studies showing that it knocks years off your life, and I agree with them.

[duff_man]

Originally Posted by Heeeed the Ball

Night work should be banned full stop........we didnt ask for it and we dont need it waits for bites

So how would that work for the police, ambulance, a&e etc?

[tunstall birdman]

Originally Posted by Crayon

Ironic you should say that. I've been recovering from heart surgery the past few months. Not going swimmingly so you might just have a point.

I hope you make a full recovery mate, I wish you the best in happiness and health!!

[googleboogle]

But how? Who says your body needs to sleep at night. ESP when you do it over a prolonged length of time.

Your body just learns to a different time patern.

[Wise Man Says]

Originally Posted by googleboogle

But how? Who says your body needs to sleep at night. ESP when you do it over a prolonged length of time.

Your body just learns to a different time patern.

An earlier poster pointed out it's often harder to sleep during the day (e.g. it's light outside, it's noiser, there can be daytime distractions such as people phoning you when they'll assume you'll be up and about).

[parsonx]

Originally Posted by Its Him Again

Was told that working nightshift can knock 10 years off your life.
Anyone have health problems working nights?

I'm work 5 x 12 hr nights a week and have done for 16 yrs now,nowt wrong with my health,before I started this job i worked a 3 shift system in a brewery for the same amount of time,being made redundant from that job has given me an extra 16 years of life so far.If weather spoons opened a bit earlier I would be having my brekky and a couple of beers before heading to bed instead of being on a message board

[My Left Foot]

I worked various night shift patterns for over 22 years, and I never, ever got used to. Even if I was lucky enough to get 8 hours sleep during the day, I still hit the wall during the night.

[duff_man]

Originally Posted by googleboogle

But how? Who says your body needs to sleep at night. ESP when you do it over a prolonged length of time.

Your body just learns to a different time patern.

Its not just working during the night thats the problem, its adjusting your body clock by 12 hours every other week thats the problem. Its huge jet lag on a regular basis

[Icarebecauseyoudo]

Definitely true in my uncle's case. He was a nocturnal roadsweeper on the motorways

[Daydream Believer]

Originally Posted by duff_man

Its not just working during the night thats the problem, its adjusting your body clock by 12 hours every other week thats the problem. Its huge jet lag on a regular basis

This was the problem for me, by the time my body clock was starting to adjust I'd be finished with that shift & having to start again. I never really adjusted.