Irregular sleep patterns lead to a higher risk of bad mood and depression. That was the main finding of a new study published in NPJ Digital.
Variable sleep times were actually as likely to push up the risk of feeling depressed as much as a lack of sleep in general was – suggesting that staying in sync with our circadian rhythms is as important for our mental health as clocking up a good number of hours of shut-eye in total.
There Could Be a Dramatic Hidden Impact of Not Having a Regular Bedtime, Study Shows | Science Alert
Of course for shift workers, variable sleep times are an unavoidable reality. But all is not lost. Night shift workers with families and other social obligations should familiarize themselves with anchor sleep.
As for rotating shift workers, their schedules are typically split evenly between dayshifts and night shifts. Factoring in days off, the best bet is to maintain a dayshift pattern most of the time. You’ll want to switch back to days as quick as possible following your night shifts. As the night shift portion of the rotation gets longer, there comes a point where it may be more beneficial to adapt to the nights (i.e. if you work more than 7 nights in a row).
Bottom line: Maintain those circadian rhythms.
Clean Sleep
By now you should know that a cool, dark, and quiet space will help you get the best possible sleep. But have you put any thought into the cleanliness of your room? Results from a survey conducted for the National Sleep Foundation suggest you’ll have a better sleep if your room is tidy and your bedding has a fresh scent.
Make your bed and wash your sheets.
Did you know that most people sleep better in a tidy bedroom? | Shiftwork Services
Without A Net
A study looking at the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis revealed that middle-income baby boomers are now more apprehensive about investing and more reliant on social security. But social security was meant to be a safety net, not a replacement for retirement savings.
The prospect of losing some money in the markets is a scary one. Though not having enough in retirement is as well. Many boomers are choosing to remain in (or re-enter) the workforce to compensate. For the sake of our health, we shift workers may want to avoid that option.
Baby Boomers Increasingly Reliant on Social Security for Their Retirement Needs | Healthy Ageing
Kickstart My Heart
Shift work is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). And this risk increases the longer we work the schedule.1 Without a causal link, how can we fight this risk while continuing to do shift work? By fighting associations with opposing associations, such as exercise.
… increasing our exercise “to much higher levels or more vigorous levels” should substantially reduce our chances, later, for heart disease.
How Much Exercise Do You Need for Better Heart Health? | New York Times
Shift Work May Affect DNA
“Based on the results, we can deduce that changes to the DNA methylation of white blood cells are associated with shift work disorder. These changes, such as low methylation levels observed during the work period, are probably linked to sleep deprivation and related inflammatory consequences which DNA changes may mediate,”
These DNA changes were most pronounced in individuals suffering from shift work disorder (SWD). So if you’re able to maintain strong circadian rhythms and get adequate sleep, you may not have much to worry about.
More good news: It appears the changes can be reversed with vacation.
A Sleep Disorder Associated With Shift Work May Affect Gene Function | Neuroscience News
Stay healthy-
Jason Glenn