Night shift as a carcinogen
Many parents decide to work the overnight shift in order to be home during the day to care for their children.
However, there’s new evidence that might not be such a good idea when it comes to their own health.
It seems that working the overnight shift may possibly cause cancer. However, the studies don’t prove working the graveyard shift causes cancer, there may be other factors common to night shift workers that raise their cancer risk.
Less exposure to sunlight causing low melatonin levels and, immune depletion due to lack of sleep are two of the hypotheses that may explain the increased cancer risk.
I’m a nurse, but, over the years I’ve discovered that I am just not built to work nights. I’ve tried on occasion, but, my main problem is that I just cannot sleep during the day.
Looks like that may be a good thing since, according to the article:
Even worse than working an overnight shift is flipping between daytime and overnight work.
So, I work days.
However, I am wondering if this might apply to people (no names mentioned) who stay up too late at night using the Internet?
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POSTED IN: Career, Managing Work, Work Environment
1 opinion for Night shift as a carcinogen
World Health Day
Apr 6, 2008 at 9:10 pm
[…] From “Career and Kids,” the health implications of working the night shift […]
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