Night shifts raise gastrointestinal problems

Gastrointestinal problems like heartburn, stomach ulcers, and constipation are common among people who work in evening or night shifts.Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, USA found that evening workers tend to work long and more night hours from midnight to 5 am and follow a more irregular schedule. As a result, the workers have reduced opportunity for adequate sleep, or the combination of these work schedule characteristics might have led to disturbed sleep. Good sleep is associated with less gastrointestinal symptoms. Alternatively, an irregular work schedule can disturb the body's internal clock, which it uses to synchronise eating and digesting food.Finally, the evening shift may increase the risk of stomach and intestinal ills if it isolates workers from friends and family, causing stress and, finally resulting in gastrointestinal GI problems.

Among shift workers, GI problems are one of the most common health complaints. To investigate the rate of GI problems among shift workers, researchers surveyed 343 auto factory workers in the U.S., asking about their rate of GI problems and work schedules. No one worked the night shift. The investigators found that people working the evening shift, typically from 2:30 PM to 11 PM, reported more GI symptoms, which included nausea, indigestion, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and diarrhoea. They also were three times more likely to say they had been diagnosed with a GI problem, such as a stomach ulcer, ulcerative colitis, or colon polyps.

A good night's sleep is associated with a host of other health benefits, including a strong system, better memory and improved mood. People who work irregular or evening schedules should recognise the importance of getting restful sleep every day.