Working at night is bad? Find out why.
Index
Working at night can influence how we sleep. Sleep regulation should always be a priority so that the rest of the day goes well. It's important to understand the consequences of working at night and take steps to get a good night's sleep.
The way and when we work says a lot about what our quality of sleep can be. And working at night can mess with all that.
As they say: the night was made for sleep, isn't it? Therefore, it is important that, whenever possible, this rule is complied with. But, unfortunately, this is not always possible.
Nowadays, it is increasingly common to work at night. The world of work is constantly changing, therefore, for companies to be able to operate 24 hours a day, a lot has been invested in night work.
Sleeping well became a real challenge.
Allied to this, the excess of work and the low productivity during the day also means that people often use the night to fulfill the tasks and deadlines that organizations impose.
Night work is here to stay because the world can't stop!
Is working at night bad?
Well, that's the question we've been trying to answer. After many studies and research, we do not have good news - if we are not careful, working at night is bad and can even have negative consequences in our life, such as:
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Increased risk of accidents at work
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Decreased productivity
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Irritability, moodiness and tiredness
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Increased likelihood of having mental illness
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Anxiety and depression
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Increased risk of serious illness (such as heart attack or cancer)
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Greater tendency to resort to health services
Due to exposure to light at night, the body of people who do it daily releases less melatonin, that controls biological processes, such as the one that regulates sleep.
The difference in the amount of melatonin in our body also changes the “clock” that alerts us to bedtime.
The darker and calmer a given environment is, the more melatonin is released, and therefore we get more more sleepy. That's why working early in the morning can influence melatonin production.
The secretion of cortisol, the stress hormone, is also affected because its functioning is instantly altered. This hormone prepares us for stressful situations, which can impair this function.
These two powerful hormones, melatonin and cortisol, also boost our defenses against invading agents in our body, such as microorganisms.
In addition, gender can also influence the ability to withstand the dysregulation that occurs, especially if we are in the habit of sleeping during the day.
As per a study, women have more difficulty sleeping during the day (4-6 hours on average) as they are usually more alert and preoccupied with daily tasks. And this leads to greater resistance in to relax.
On the other hand, men are able to sleep longer during the day (5 hours), as they are usually less stressed than women.
As consequences are diverse:
😴 Sleep Deprivation and Deregulation
This can be one of the biggest consequences of working at night. Our biological clock is turned inside out, becoming formatted so that the normal cycle is reversed - you stay awake when you should be sleeping.
With this, what will happen is that you will be falling to the side during the day, sleepy and without energy.
The result? Impaired rest and the brain completely lost.
🤒 Diseases
This relationship may not seem very direct, but believe me it is!
Those who work at night and need to rest during the day, sleep less and worse than those who sleep at night.
Working late into the night can increase the likelihood of developing certain illnesses. Some examples are high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
In addition, hormones melatonin (sleep) and cortisol (stress), as well as inflammatory cytokines suffer a deregulation in their production, which can lead to various diseases, such as cancer.
Working at night has a negative impact on the whole organism, increasing stress levels, induced by lack of sleep for a long time.
Sleeping during the day is never the same as sleeping at night!
🥱 Constant Tiredness
This is another of the consequences of working late at night. Most people who work at night can feel a sense of endless tiredness, even after just waking up.
But it doesn't stop here! Related to this, the following can also happen:
- Difficulty retaining information
- memory lapses
- Want humor
- Decreased concentration
If you work at night and feel tired practically all the time, it's better to review that!
😵💫 Feeling of Malaise
Working at night can also bring that daily feeling of discomfort, decreasing the quality of life in the short and long term if this habit continues.
Health and family life are harmed when you choose to work at dawn, late at night. And this can lead to states of depression and unhappiness.
As much as there is a financial advantage to working at night, the consequences of this can outweigh more than a few more bills in your wallet.
Tips to minimize the effects
Changes of sleep schedule can be very harmful to health, especially when a routine is not followed. That's why it's important that you maintain discipline and follow our tips so you can sleep well.
During the work
- Look for quiet environments and without much light so that sleep is not further impaired
- Keep a balanced diet and always eat your meals at the same time
- Get some sun on your breaks to stay alert
- Take a nap, if you feel the need
- Move as much as possible, don't sit around for hours on end
- If you want to stay awake you can have a coffee (as long as you don't do it too close to bedtime)
Later of work
- Do not drink beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee or black tea, before bed.
- Practice physical exercise regularly.
- Avoid excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
- If it makes sense to you, meditate a little bit.
- Avoid exposure to electronic equipment, such as television or cell phone, at least 1 hour before bed. Screens can be a big obstacle.
- Sleep as soon as possible and always at the same time, even on days when you don't work.
- Close the windows and curtains while you sleep and air your room when you wake up.
- Keep your room quiet by preventing unwanted noises - you can even use earplugs to sleep
- Use cushions that give googd posture overnight to avoid back pain
If you work at night, you should follow routines so that it harms you as little as possible. To reconcile this with good sleepl, you must know everything you can and cannot do to get there.
With a lack of rules or routines, working at night is bad. To lessen its effects, you must ensure that you sleep all the necessary hours so that the following days go as smoothly as possible.