THE ESSENTIAL
- The circadian rhythm is the human body’s internal clock that signals when it’s time to sleep or eat.
- To reduce the repercussions of the shifted work rhythm, the researchers suggest taking naps and recommending regular monitoring for night workers.
Working between sunset and sunrise has many health consequences. Several studies have shown that night work can increase the risk of asthma, diabetes, heart disease or miscarriage due to the shift in the biological clock. A recent study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine March 8revealed that working at night also had an impact on cognitive functions.
18 studies reviewed
To reach this conclusion, researchers from the private Sigmund Freud University in Linz, Austria, analyzed 18 works published between 2005 and 2020, which involved 18,802 working adults. Half of the studies focused on healthcare professionals, while the other half focused on different professions, such as police or IT staff. The research reviewed looked at the cognitive performance of people with regular office hours and night shift workers. For this, several factors were taken into account: memory, processing speed, vigilance, visual attention and impulse control.
Neurocognitive disorders associated with circadian rhythm disturbance
“Our results showed significantly lower cognitive performance in night workers compared to people who perform their jobs during the day,” can we read in the study. According to scientists, adults who work at night have memory problems and are less alert due to a disruption of the circadian rhythm. “Reduced neurobehavioral performance in night shift workers may play an important role in work-related injuries and errors”which would have implications for occupational health and safety, the authors said.