Working shifts, rather than fixed hours, may impair brain function over time. Investigators found that long-term shift work for ten or more years has a negative impact on brain health. The researchers believe that disruption of circadian rhythms is the most likely cause of psychological stressors that lead to impairment. They note that the effects can be reversed, but the process may take up to five years. The research team writes, “The cognitive impairment observed in the present study may have important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society as a whole… given the increasing number of jobs in high-hazard situations that are performed at night.”
Occupational & Environmental Medicine, November 2014