Phew, women who work night shifts run a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
Night shifts are not too good for women. This is according to research by Canadian Joan Tranmer of Queen's University. Tranmer studied 227 middle-aged women who work in the hospital and run both day and night shifts.
Risks
What turned out? Many of the surveyed women on the night shifts suffer from ailments that can cause cardiovascular disease † This includes high blood pressure and overweight † The research also shows that women who are older than 45 years, in the menopause sitting and working night shifts for more than six years are at high risk of metabolic syndrome (combination of high blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels and a disturbed blood sugar level).
Among women who have worked in varying shifts for less than six years, 8 percent have the metabolic syndrome † After six to fifteen years of alternating shifts, this is 18 percent and after fifteen years even 74 percent.
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Biological rhythm
Aging is a cause of this, but night shifts also have an influence. "It is still unclear why changing services influence the risk factors," Tranmer said. ‘The disruption of the biological rhythm and with it the sleep, eating and exercise pattern is a possible cause.”
Joan Tranmer presented the results of her research at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2011 †
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