Shift Work: Disrupted Circadian Rhythms and Sleep-Implications for Health and Well-Being.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our 24/7 society is dependent on shift work, despite mounting evidence for negative health outcomes from sleep displacement due to shift work. This paper reviews short- and long-term health consequences of sleep displacement and circadian misalignment due to shift work.

RECENT FINDINGS: We focus on four broad health domains: metabolic health; risk of cancer; cardiovascular health; and mental health. Circadian misalignment affects these domains by inducing sleep deficiency, sympathovagal and hormonal imbalance, inflammation, impaired glucose metabolism, and dysregulated cell cycles. This leads to a range of medical conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, gastrointestinal dysfunction, compromised immune function, cardiovascular disease, excessive sleepiness, mood and social disorders, and increased cancer risk.

SUMMARY: Interactions of biological disturbances with behavioral and societal factors shape the effects of shift work on health and well-being. Research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and drive the development of countermeasures.