Take 8: Managing shift work

1 minute read


The question of adapting to shift work depends on what type of a shift schedule you are trying to adapt to, says Professor Shantha Rajaratnam


How can shift workers adapt to their shifts?

“The question of adapting to shift work really depends on what type of a shift schedule you are trying to adapt to,” says Professor Shantha Rajaratnam, a psychologist and neuroscientist who specialises in sleep medicine.

http://medicalrepublic.com.au/take-6-shift-work-carcinogen/14071[/related_articles]

“Some people are permanent night shift workers, for example. In that case, it’s like adapting to a new time zone. And the primary way in which we adapt is using light and dark information.

“So when we go to a new time zone, we fly from Melbourne to London, for example, there is a new light-dark cycle and our circadian clock uses that information to adapt. That’s what we need to do for a night shift worker. We need to give them new light-dark information so that they can adapt appropriately.”

[media_embed] https://player.vimeo.com/video/246922174[/media_embed]

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