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The impact of unconventional shifts on health

Unconventional shifts timing include night shifts, rotational shifts etc. It has its benefit for a lot of people, women in particular, from a child care perspective

However,  the medical and scientific communities are continually reporting that shift work can increase the risk of certain disorders and have a negative impact on the overall well-being of employees.

Increased risk of obesity- due to erratic eating patterns , particularly the high consumption of sugar and caffeine to help work productively in the nights

Increase in Type 2 diabetes- rotational shifts can play havoc on one’s sleep- wake pattern. This results in weakening insulin resistance

“Most of the processes that occur in the mind and body follow natural rhythms,” state the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center. “Those with a cycle length of about 1 day are called circadian rhythms.” Unusual sleeping patterns play havoc with body temperature, hormone secretion leading to cardiovascular abnormalities too

In the world we live in, many of us may not have a choice. But given these constraints, let’s try to be as healthy as possible by exercising whenever possible  and eating right.