Measures to counteract the negative effects of night work
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVES: Night work is associated with several negative health outcomes as well as accidents and reduced productivity. The aim of this study was to identify factors that may counteract the negative effects of night work. METHODS: We conducted searches for studies of scientifically based countermeasures of the negative effects of night work in PubMed and Thomson Reuters' ISI Web of Knowledge and inspected the reference lists of relevant literature. RESULTS: We identified studies describing countermeasures such as proper personnel selection, bright light therapy, melatonin administration, naps, exercise, sleepiness detection devices, and the use of stimulants to improve wakefulness and hypnotics to improve daytime sleep. CONCLUSIONS: There is some research supporting countermeasures (eg, bright light, melatonin, naps, use of stimulants, proper work scheduling) as a means to improve adaptation to night work. However, there is little evidence that such countermeasures reduce the long-term health consequences of night work. Future studies should aim at identifying both work and individual factors which are related to differential health outcomes of night work. Better study designs (eg, longitudinal designs and use of standardized outcome measures) are needed in future research.
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Paramedics are reported to have poor levels of physical health with an increased risk of shift work disorder, chronic illness, cardiovascular conditions and hypertension, and obesity and cancer.
“Paramedics are reported to have poor levels of physical health with an increased risk of shift work disorder (Barth et al., 2022; Nguyen et al., 2023; Pallesen et al., 2010), chronic illness, cardiovascular conditions and hypertension (MacQuarrie et al., 2018; Torquati, et al., 2018), and obesity and cancer (Gan et al., 2018; Pahwa, Labr che, & Demers, 2018).”
From Understanding the Occupational Factors that Influence Paramedic Health and Wellbeing (2024) · cites this paper as Pallesen et al., 2010
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- Authors
- Pallesen, S., Bjorvatn, B., Magerøy, N., Saksvik, I. B., Waage, S., & Moen, B. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Bergen (NO)
- Uni Research (Norway) (NO)
- Venue
- Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
- Published
- 2009-12-15
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 109-120
- ISSN
- 0355-3140 (ISSN-L)
- 1795-990X
- OpenAlex
- W2111839381
- Cited by
- 122
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 1.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment & Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Keywords
- night work, shift work, countermeasures, bright light therapy, melatonin, napping, stimulants, hypnotics, work scheduling, personnel selection, occupational health
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Light, Melatonin, Sleep Wake Disorders, Work Schedule Tolerance
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