Are you willing to work the graveyard shift. Your health could be at risk if you work the graveyard shift. More than 15 million Americans have a job that requires them to work late at night or early in the morning, making them vulnerable. shift work disorder(SWD). Although SWD can be difficult to diagnose and treat, the sleep deprivation and insomnia that accompany it can be very debilitating.

Researchers from the University of Toronto found that SWD poses a greater risk of organ disease in a recent study. This was published in the Journal of American Physiology. With SWD’s side effects growing, workers need to find ways of managing their bodily stress.

Shift work interrupts the body’s natural sleep-wake rhythm (known as the circadian rhythm). This affects other crucial factors such as body temperature, and organ function.

“We knew that circadian rhythm disruption had been linked with reduced longevity, so we decided to try and find out where, why and how longevity is compromised,”Martin Ralph, a University of Toronto psychology professor and one of the leading researchers in the study on shiftwork, explained.

Shift work, which is not 9-5, is in high demand as customers demand 24-hour service. A variety of occupations, including those in the hospitality, restaurant, manufacturing, and production industries, require occasional or permanent shift work.

These workers are constantly disturbed by their biological clocks or circadian rhythms. The new study shows that long-term interference with this natural process can cause kidney and heart disease.

SWD sufferers can also experience Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It’s characterized by loud snoring, pauses and breathing problems, as well as gasping. It disrupts sleep by causing repeated awakenings. It can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, diabetes, and heart disease, similar to SWD. It’s much more straightforward than SWD to diagnose and treat.

A second tip is to create a perfect sleep environment. Reduce the amount of light and noise to make the most of your irregular sleeping patterns. Even on weekends, stick to the same time and place of sleep. Do not hesitate to seek medical assistance.

Go to for more information on sleep disorders and advice. www.sleepapnea.org.