Surviving Night Shift

By Nurse Mark

Having spent many years working rotating shifts as a Registered Nurse, this man’s question is one that is close to my own heart. Night shift especially is hard on a person’s health – the disruption to the circadian rhythms causes no end of problems.

Unfortunately, night shift is a fact of life for many people, and these people must be recognized as our heroes – the nurses, the policemen, the doctors, the firemen, the air traffic controllers, the airline pilots and crews, and all the other people who must be awake (and alert!) through the dark hours to keep us safe, make or deliver the goods that we rely on, or provide the services that keep us comfortable – supporting our modern lives.

There are some countries that have made night shift work the responsibility of their younger workers. The young seem to be better able to handle the stresses.

There are some other workers who seem to thrive on working the night shift, preferring it to day or afternoon work.

Still, night shift is stressful and there are some things that can be done to help a body manage that stress and avoid stress-induced illness.

We recently had a question from a fellow in Texas:

I’ve been working the night shift since 2002. Then 2nd shift 2006-2007 then back to 3rd shift. I am a 37 year old white male and live in Texas. There is family history of heart disease, diabetes, and mental illness.
I’ve just briefly read your 5 top nutrients in your blog.  What would you recommend for longevity?

Reading the information in HealthBeat News is a great start – and there is plenty more great information available at www.DrMyattsWellnessClub.com

Dr. Myatt also had a few words of advice for our reader:

The “10 Rules of Good Health” are foundational to longevity. See them here: http://drmyattswellnessclub.com/10rules.htm

Also, I’d put in for a transfer to day shift. If that isn’t possible, melatonin can help.

In Health,
Dr. Myatt

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