Nowadays we live in a 24/7 society. A lot of people often work night shifts. The question is: is it really necessary to work in the night, should those people have a night job? How big of a deal is it if you’ll get your package 12 hour later?
If you work the night shift it means that you’re active while your biological clock signals you should sleep. Our system isn’t made for having to work at night, even eating at night or seeing light isn’t natural for our body. The Dutch health council concluded in 2017 that this affects your health in such way that it leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sleep disorders.
The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by the biological clock in your brain. It differs between people: in some people it runs behind and in others it runs faster, resulting in night owls and early birds. In those extreme chronotypes, their life is often out of sync with their biological clock, but it’s easy to fix! The solution: More light during the day, at least 2 hours of daylight, and especially for the late types way less light during the evening. A regular sleep-wake cycle will make you feel more energized, boosts your immune system and leads to healthy ageing.
Source: November magazine Clique media (Page 28)
An article by our board member Marijke Gordijn
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