WORKER HEALTH Night shift takes a toll on women, study says

Women who work all night have a higher risk of cancer, research shows.
TOLEDO BLADE
Graveyard shift is the evocative term, dating from the early 20th century, for late-night work when the rest of the world is as quiet as a cemetery.
The 21st century is opening with new medical evidence that working the night shift may be a fast track to the grave, putting some workers -- especially women -- at high risk for serious diseases.
A few weeks ago, for instance, a Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JCI) study of 78,586 women found that night-shift workers have a 35 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer. It bolstered findings of two other studies, which found that women night-shift workers have a risk of breast cancer up to 60 percent higher than those who never worked nights.
Studies show that night-shift workers are at high risk for other health problems, including heart disease, workplace accidents, automobile accidents and stomach problems.
New disorder
They've even become namesakes for a new disease, shift work sleep disorder (SWSD). Symptoms include excessive sleepiness, insomnia, headaches and difficulty in concentrating. It affects 70 percent of all shift workers, according to one estimate.
"I think there are reasons for concern regarding the health of night-shift workers," said Dr. Timothy Monk of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He's an international authority who directs Pitt's human chronobiology research center.
"My experience is that employers do not supply enough information to employees about surviving shift work," Dr. James Blessman of Wayne State University said. He is an occupational-medicine specialist and medical director for the city of Detroit's employees.
"I suspect that we are paying a hefty price in decreased productivity and the cost of ill health in the United States because many people don't get enough sleep."
The price may mount as the global economy and other factors entice more people into a 24/7 lifestyle -- working, shopping and partying at hours unthinkable a generation or two ago.
About 10 percent of all U.S. companies already operate around the clock, according to the Department of Labor. More than 15 million Americans work outside the traditional 9-to-5 shift.
Europeans take action
Monk, a professor of psychiatry, noted that European Union (EU) countries have taken concrete action. Among the EU measures are regulations that limit the number of night shifts and provide for mandatory days off.
Monk advised night-shift workers to avoid a fatalistic mindset, but to regard research findings as a "warning signal" about the possible consequences of being awake at times when the human body was meant to sleep.
"Night workers should realize that they may be at additional risk, and should make changes in their lifestyle that could reduce the risk," he said.
That includes taking advantage of routine screening tests for early disease detection, avoiding cigarettes, eating healthy and avoiding obesity, and getting enough exercise and sleep.