Cardiovascular disorders
A study published on the British Medical Journal website bmj.com, warns that night shift work can dramatically increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. It said people working in night shifts have higher levels of unhealthy behaviours such as eating junk food, sleeping badly and not exercising, which are linked to heart problems. Shift work was associated with a 23 per cent increased risk of heart attack, 24 per cent rise in coronary events and five per cent extra strokes. Moreover, there has been growing evidence that night shift working might boost cancer risk because of the disruption to the body clock and hormone production. A previous research found a link between night shifts and increased risk of breast cancer in women. Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “There are plenty of reasons why sleep deprivation is a problem. Easy internet access, a growing number of TV channels, financial worries and longer working hours all distract us from going to bed. But it's important more of us make sleep a priority and get our restorative six-to-eight hours a night.”
