This is evident from a survey by the GGZ Drenthe and the University of Groningen among more than 37,000 Flemish people. Half of people who work night shifts sleep less than six hours per night. Also half suffer from at least one chronic sleep disorder, meaning they have been struggling with it for more than three months. More than a quarter have at least two sleep disorders.
This is only the second study worldwide that, in addition to insomnia, also looks at other sleep disorders during shift work: hypersomnia (drowsiness during the day), parasomnia (undesirable symptoms during sleep such as sleepwalking and nightmares), sleep apnea, movement disorders such as restless leg syndrome, and disturbances. of the sleep-wake rhythm.
Almost all of these disorders are more common among young people. In addition, they are also more common among women than among men, with the exception of sleep apnea. With the latter condition the relationship is exactly the other way around. Men also sleep slightly shorter on average than women.
The participants were not asked about their profession. But from the results you can deduce that a young night worker in a distribution center runs a greater risk of a sleep disorder than a 40-year-old surgeon, agrees Marike Lancel, one of the sleep researchers. However, it is not the case that you become better at night shifts as you get older: “Above the age of fifty you can no longer cope as well.”