What Time the Whistle Blows May Affect Your Health
By Tom Herrin
Not all people are made the same. That can go for jobs as well. The time that people work may have an impact on their health more than they may think. While there are millions who work some kind of shift, it is still believed that it can have a considerable impact on just how their overall health is. It appears that the human body is designed to be active in the day and sleep at night, for the most part, and when they miss some of the things available from that daylight, their health may suffer. In the days when people did some kind of work during the day and slept at night, the natural effects were good. Once the electric light was invented, it seems that more and more people looked for ways to use it to make money. This included working throughout the night in some kinds of production jobs.
Some Long-Term Risks May Be Present
With the number of people working shifts well up in the millions, several studies have been done on the effects. Some of the more serious issues include various kinds of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and several things related to mood and depression. These really only scratch the surface as there are a few others that may seriously affect health.
Careful Steps May Prevent Problems
Those who work shifts may have a greater need than most to maintain a good schedule for meals with particular attention paid to their nutritional value. Along with this, a good exercise program is essential. It is often far too easy to get into a rut in which people sleep and eat with no real outlet for physical activity. This can be a recipe for problems down the road. Many companies make a special effort to educate employees about things they should try to do to protect their health when they work shifts.
Make It Work for You
The main things to remember are that shift work can be potentially hazardous to health and that you are the one in control of your health. Managing your time and health must be a priority. When you do this well, you can remain in control of your life and everything about it. If you work shifts, you want things to be as normal as possible and keep health as a top priority.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Cedar Park, Tex.