News

Sleep apnea, shift work a danger on the roads and rails

Apr 09 2014...

The engineer reported feeling “dazed and “almost like mesmorized” right before his train hit a sharp curve and careened off the tracks in December. Months later, an NTSB investigation suggests sleep disorders and poor quality sleep played a large role in the deadly New York commuter train accident that killed four people and injured more than 70.

In the aftermath of the derailment, the engineer visited a board certified sleep physician, who diagnosed him with severe sleep apnea. When the disorder is untreated, it can cause fatigue, slow reaction times, reduced alertness and impaired thinking.

At 5-foot-10 and 261 lbs (a severely obese), the conductor’s sleep disorder should have been detected long before he went to work that morning. If the disorder had been diagnosed and treated sooner, it’s possible that the deadly accident could have been prevented.

More than 100,000 accidents every year involve a drowsy or impaired driver. A vast majority of these accidents occur every day on our roadways and don’t receive as much attention as the New York train derailment. However, many are just as deadly and just as preventable. READ MORE>>

Women who work nightshift may have increased risk of ovarian cancer

Mar 18 2013...

A new study has found a link between working the night shift and ovarian cancer.

The study, published in the March issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, included 1,101 women with the most common form of advanced ovarian cancer, 389 women with borderline ovarian cancer and 1,832 women that were part of a healthy comparison group. READ MORE>>

Why sleep is difficult on the night shift

Nov 05 2012...

Although many people still work a traditional 9-to-5 workday, there are millions of Americans that work the evening shift, night shift, rotating shift, or other employer arranged irregular schedules, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Shift work can have an affect on your health and therefore it’s important for shift workers to make sleep a priority.

There are several reasons why night shifts wreak such havoc on sleep. Depending on their biological clock, some people may be more affected than others. A night owl might cope relatively well with night shift work, while most morning people cope relatively poorly. READ MORE>>

Rotating Night Shift Work and Type 2 Diabetes in Women

Dec 12 2011...

A new study found that the longer women worked rotating night shifts, the greater their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers also found that extended years of rotating night shift work was associated with weight gain. The weight gain may have contributed to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes. READ MORE>>

Shift Work May Cause Swell in Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Mar 22 2011...

A new study provides further health concerns for the estimated 20 million Americans who sleep during the daytime because of their work schedule. The symptoms of untreated obstructive sleep apnea may be worse for shift workers, a new study reports. READ MORE>>

The difficulty of switching shifts

Aug 05 2010...

Try going to sleep when the sun is rising, and staying asleep during the brightest hours of the day. It’s never easy. The odd sleep schedules that come with shift work go against everything we learned at an early age. Turning your sleep schedule topsy-turvy is a shock to the system that often leads to insomnia and chronic fatigue. READ MORE>>

Sleep Usually Sacrificed in Early Work Schedules

Aug 05 2010...

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise, so starting work at the crack of dawn shouldn’t be that difficult, right? In theory it’s not, but modern lifestyles make the old saying unrealistic. The early risers rarely go to sleep early enough, according to a recent survey. READ MORE>>

Later shifts limit sleep, hurt productivity

Jun 15 2010...

The key to maximizing workplace productivity while minimizing fatigue may be scheduling shift start times that allows workers to sleep right before reporting for duty.

New research suggests shifts that start in the late morning to early afternoon work best for employees. Start times between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. may limit sleep and harm performance. READ MORE>>

Sleep problems after shiftwork can persist, are not permanent

Apr 29 2010...

There’s some hope for folks ready to give up the struggle with the overnight shift: insomnia and other sleep problems often associated with those difficult hours may be difficult to shake when it’s over, but it’s not permanent. Research also shows more years of shift work does not lead to worse sleep problems. READ MORE>>

Sleep problems often persist after shift work, not permanent

Apr 25 2010...

There’s some hope for folks ready to give up the struggle with the overnight shift: insomnia and other sleep problems often associated with those difficult hours may be difficult to shake when it’s over, but it’s not permanent. READ MORE>>