Shift Work Sleep Disorder.
Diagnosis, Symptoms, Medications and Treatment Information.
Shift Work Sleep Disorder also known as SWSD is a sleep disorder that plagues people who work shifts.
Since your body has ways in which to restore depleted energy during the day, you might just as well assume that your body can restore or cover up for the hours you do not sleep.
This is a big misconception.
Sleep is very important to the human body. Shift Work Sleep Disorder or SWSD is a state where you take away vital sleep from your body when it needs it the most.
The human body is programmed to operate in a certain way. It is a very simple but complex machine and if one part does not work has planned the whole of your body begins to react. This is exactly what happens with people who have SWSD.
How, you say? Read on.
Do you know that your body has an internal clock called the circadian rhythm?
Circadian means to occur in a period of about 24 hours.
This clock tells your body when it is time to sleep and when it is time to wake. This is also called a Sleep-Wake Cycle.
You need to balance your Sleep/Wake cycle
Like I stated earlier, the human brain regulates when you sleep and when you are awake. The hormone melatonin that is secreted by the pineal gland at back of your brain controls this sleep cycle. This sleep timing runs on a 24 hour period cycle. The release of the hormone melatonin induces sleepiness and the release of melatonin itself is triggered by darkness.
This simply means that when you are in the dark or when it is dark, melatonin is released and then you begin to feel drowsy. Daylight induces the reverse and causes wakefulness. This is simply what Sleep-Wake cycle means.
The question that begs for an answer is, “How does your Shift Work affect your sleep cycle so as to cause Shift Work Sleep Disorder?”
Shift Work
When you work shifts period and especially at odd hours, your body begins to have problems adapting to that schedule.
You are awake when your body expects you to be asleep and you try to sleep when your body expects you to be awake. Shift work disrupts your sleep cycle, by messing up your body’s internal timing for sleep.
This condition if it persists could lead to insomnia and even sleep deprivation.
Did you know that statistics show that 20% of workers in industrialized nations are shift workers and that 10% of them suffer from insomnia or hypersomnia resulting from Shift Work?
Apart from the inability to sleep or excessive sleepiness, these workers can also suffer from coronary heart disease, insulin resistance, peptic ulcer disease, sleep deprivation, depression and sleepiness-related accidents.
Tired at Work?
If you work shifts and find yourself dozing off at work a lot then you probably have to see a sleep doctor. The common symptom of SWSD is excessive sleepiness.
Some other symptoms include,
- Insomnia.
- Mood Changes.
- General Irritation with people around you.
- Reduced output at work and slower reaction time.
- Headaches and
- Difficulty Concentrating.
Signs of Shift Work Sleep Disorder
- Did you start having sleeping problems after you started shift work?
- Has this sleep problem lasted for over a month?
- Are you always tired?
- Do you often fall asleep at work?
How to Treat Shift Work Sleep Disorder
If you feel you have sleeping problems due to your working schedule, you need to take decisive steps to correct this condition. You can do the following to help yourself.
- See a Sleep Doctor as soon as possible.
- Reduce the number of night shifts you have in a row.
- Avoid overtime work.
- Get a Sleep Schedule. Buy a Sleep diary and develop a healthy sleep pattern.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before sleep time.
- Avoid Sleeping Pills. This problem is not going to be solved by using them.
- Try as much as possible to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day.
- Avoid bright light in your bedroom.
- Take a nap during a work break if you can.
- Take your sleep time serious. Turn off the phone. Use earplugs if necessary.
SWSD is treatable and is a situation that can be easily corrected. You just have to develop the right attitude and sleeping habit. Take action today!
Visit the following pages for more information on some sleep disorders like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, sleep deprivation, insomnia and also go through my pages on melatonin sleep aids, over the counter sleep aids and the popular best sleep pills page.
