Stay Alert! Night Shift Workers are at Higher Risk for Cancer

There was a time when the night shift was reserved for essential workers only. However, it has become prevalent in the last few decades in many industries. This change has sparked some research into how working at night can affect workers’ health over time and what to do about it. While studies haven’t focused on Black Americans yet, there’s enough information to show how Black people might suffer from worse effects than other ethnicities.  How Night Shifts Affect the Body According to several European studies, the negative impact of night shifts is related to the body’s circadian rhythm. Despite technological changes, the body is still hardwired to be more active during the day and rest at night. When you work at night, your body is likely to be less effective and your job can make you more tired than if you were doing it during the day. Worse yet, trying to sleep during the day doesn’t have the same restorative effect because your body is still set to be active at that time.  As a result, prolonged night work can negatively affect your health. The studies found that people who work for more than eight hours at night and over...