The BBC's health editor, James Gallagher, investigates
the effects of shift working on the human brain. Whereas the risks of obesity
and breast cancer on shift workers had been known, now it's a detrimental
effect on cognitive function that's a cause for concern.
A recent study published in the journal Occupational and
Environmental Medicine suggests that a decade of shift working will age the
brain by six and a half years.
Interestingly, when people stop shift working at that
point, their brains start to recover. However it can take as long as five years
for a complete recovery.
This has implications for the care of those with
dementia, highlighting the necessity to establish strict day/night routines,
with controlled lighting and medication (eg melatonin) to encourage sleep.
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