Shift Work and Shift Work Sleep Disorders: Definition, Symptoms and Treatment

Abstract

Today, due to the rapid progress of the global industrial economy, the use of new technologies and the economic competition environment, the necessity of 24 hour interrupted job production has increased and this has caused the obligation to work with the shift system. Approximately 20% of the population is working on shifts and turns apart from the standard working hours. While the shift system has many positive effects on work and manufacture life, it also has negative effects on the life quality of employees and it brings many comorbid health and sleep problems. Shift work sleep disorder is categorized as a subgroup of circadian rhythm sleep disorders family. The primary symptoms of shift work sleep disorder are insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. The goal of shift work sleep disorder treatment is to improve the quality of life and work efficiency while improving the current symptoms related to sleep disturbances, and to minimize accidents by increasing attention and alertness. The goal of this review is to determine the clinical findings, diagnostic criteria, systemic outcomes, and treatment methods of shift work sleep disorder and the associated sleep disorders.

Keywords

• Shift work
• circadian rhythm
• shift work sleep disorder
• occupational health