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Tired of Counting Sheep?
As I worked the night shift for 10 years. My schedule has changed. I am having problems sleeping at night and have taken sedatives occasionally. Could my problem be the result of working the night shift for so many years?
—Terri
Dear Terri,
You have worked for a number of years at a time when your body would normally be sleeping in keeping with the circadian rhythm. The sleep-wake cycle in human beings is called circadian rhythm; a hormone called melatonin controls this rhythm. The melatonin is produced by cells in the pineal gland that are at the base
of the brain. The signal for production of melatonin is the absence of light. When it becomes dark at night, the pineal gland produces high levels of melatonin that get distributed to the hypothalamus, another command center in the base of the brain. This triggers other mechanisms that make us sleepy. At daybreak, the light shuts down the production of melatonin in the brain to almost nil and thus begins the wake cycle. The pineal gland in the brain may therefore be considered the master clock of the body.
Terri, you have therefore kept a sleep cycle that is contrary to that dictated by the body’s master clock. Generally the body may adjust to this nonstandard sleep cycle over a period of time as you did. However, if the individual changes back to the standard (day) shift, one then will likely experience a sleep disorder called shift work disorder.
The sleep deprivation that results can cause one to be accident prone. Excessive sleepiness, decreased productivity, impaired mental acuity, and irritability may also be manifested. There is a suggestion that digestive disorder, heart disease, and menstrual irregularities may be associated with this sleep disorder.
The use of alcohol, sedatives, and sleep aides is not recommended because they can be habit forming. Alcohol also has many other deleterious effects on the health. I also would not recommend the use of drugs that improve alertness, such as caffeine, for the same reason. Taking short naps during break time may be helpful just as well as a modification of one’s environment. Observing good sleep hygiene such as not going to bed with a full stomach, being physically active, but not close to bedtime, is also helpful. I would recommend consulting your health-care provider for further information with regard to diagnosis and treatment.
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