When does stress end? Evidence of a prolonged stress reaction in shiftworking truck drivers.

This study aimed to analyze individual cortisol levels in relation to work conditions, sleep, and health parameters among truck drivers working day shifts (n?=?21) compared to those working irregular shifts (n?=?21). A total of 42 male truck drivers (39.8???6.2 yrs) completed questionnaires about sociodemographics, job content, work environment, health, and lifestyle. Rest-activity profiles were measured using actigraphy, and cardiovascular blood parameters were collected. Salivary cortisol samples were obtained: (i) at waking time, (ii) 30?min after waking, and (iii) at bedtime, during both one workday and one day off from work. Irregular-shift workers, compared to day-shift workers, showed significantly higher waist-hip ratio, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, tiredness after work, years working as a driver, truck vibration, and less job demand (p?<?.05). High cortisol levels in irregular-shift workers were correlated with certain stressors, such as short sleep duration and low job satisfaction, and to metabolic parameters, such as total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), VLDL, and triglycerides. Day-shift workers had higher cortisol levels collected 30?min after waking (p?=?.03) and a higher cortisol awakening response (CAR; p?=?.02) during workdays compared to off days. Irregular-shift workers had higher cortisol levels on their off days compared to day-shift workers (p?=?.03). In conclusion, for the day-shift workers, a higher cortisol response was observed on workdays compared to off days. Although no direct comparisons could be made between groups for work days, on off days the irregular-shift workers had higher cortisol levels compared to day-shift workers, suggesting a prolonged stress response in the irregular-shift group. In addition, cortisol levels were correlated with stressors and metabolic parameters. Future studies are warranted to investigate further stress responses in the context of irregular work hours. (Author correspondence: [email protected] )

Chapter 22 - Noisy and individual, but doable: Shift-work research in humans

Working around the clock is common for many occupations, as diverse as nurses, truck drivers, physicians, steel workers, and pilots. Each shift-work profession is individual in more aspects than just work hours and individual work scenarios, each posing a different impact on the health of workers. Related health problems in shift workers, therefore, are also diverse and encompass sleep problems, metabolic and cardiovascular system disturbances, as well as cancer. Little is known about how all these individual factors influence a shift worker's health status, partly because many shift-work studies show inconsistent results. In addition, these individual factors create many methodological difficulties for researchers who investigate such work scenarios. This chapter presents examples from our laboratory and field studies of shift workers, which emphasize the importance of taking individual circumstances into account. Both study approaches, laboratory and field based, are needed to fully account for the difficulties that shift-work studies pose on both workers and researchers. Finally, understanding the mechanisms that underpin interindividual differences in response to shift work will advance our understanding of how to design better and healthier shift-work schedules in the future

Noisy and individual, but doable: shift-work research in humans.

Working around the clock is common for many occupations, as diverse as nurses, truck drivers, physicians, steel workers, and pilots. Each shift-work profession is individual in more aspects than just work hours and individual work scenarios, each posing a different impact on the health of workers. Related health problems in shift workers, therefore, are also diverse and encompass sleep problems, metabolic and cardiovascular system disturbances, as well as cancer. Little is known about how all these individual factors influence a shift worker's health status, partly because many shift-work studies show inconsistent results. In addition, these individual factors create many methodological difficulties for researchers who investigate such work scenarios. This chapter presents examples from our laboratory and field studies of shift workers, which emphasize the importance of taking individual circumstances into account. Both study approaches, laboratory and field based, are needed to fully account for the difficulties that shift-work studies pose on both workers and researchers. Finally, understanding the mechanisms that underpin interindividual differences in response to shift work will advance our understanding of how to design better and healthier shift-work schedules in the future

Chapter 22 - Noisy and individual, but doable: Shift-work research in humans

Working around the clock is common for many occupations, as diverse as nurses, truck drivers, physicians, steel workers, and pilots. Each shift-work profession is individual in more aspects than just work hours and individual work scenarios, each posing a different impact on the health of workers. Related health problems in shift workers, therefore, are also diverse and encompass sleep problems, metabolic and cardiovascular system disturbances, as well as cancer. Little is known about how all these individual factors influence a shift worker's health status, partly because many shift-work studies show inconsistent results. In addition, these individual factors create many methodological difficulties for researchers who investigate such work scenarios. This chapter presents examples from our laboratory and field studies of shift workers, which emphasize the importance of taking individual circumstances into account. Both study approaches, laboratory and field based, are needed to fully account for the difficulties that shift-work studies pose on both workers and researchers. Finally, understanding the mechanisms that underpin interindividual differences in response to shift work will advance our understanding of how to design better and healthier shift-work schedules in the future