It’s hard to make a living nowadays with our economy. To survive, many Malaysians work jobs with shifts that tend to pay little and demand plenty of hours.
To make matters worse, a new study has shown that those who work shifts suffer from more mental health issues and decreased wellbeing.
Photo: Getty
Researchers from the University of Exeter studied 28,438 participants and found out that those who work shifts were 28% more likely to have mental health problems compared to those who work regular 9-to-5 jobs.
One of the biggest reasons is that shift work alters our circadian rhythms or sleep-wake cycle that matches the typical day-night cycle.
Source: The Cheat Sheet
Luciana Torquati, the lead researcher of the study at the University of Exeter, UK told Reuters,
“This disruption can make people moody and irritable, and lead to social isolation as shift-workers time-off matches family and friend’s work and life commitments”
Shift workers were to be 33% more likely to have depression versus regular 9-to-5 workers because of this.
Having a work schedule that changes very often or one that forces you to work late into the night can wreak havoc on the body.
People are programmed to sleep during the night and wake up in the day, so switching this upside down, can make people more irritable and depressed, and suffer mental health disorders in the long run.
Source: Fit for Work
Worryingly, women were many times more affected than men. Women were 78% more likely to face more mental health issues from shift work compared to men, who suffer similar rates, regardless of shift work.
Luckily, there are some ways to avoid the negative effects of shift work such as exercising, going outside during the day, spending time with loved ones can improve mood and make us feel more connected.
Stay safe while working ya!
Also read: Doctor at Johor Baru Hospital Addicted to Meth After Taking Drug to Cope With 48-Hour Work Shifts
