Shift work sleep disorder by definition is a circadian sleep disorder occurring due to work schedule taking place during normal sleep period. This schedule requires the person to work when that person’s body wants sleep and vice versa happens when body wants to be awake. This timing is different than what the internal body clock of the person expects.

This clock is the controller of circadian rhythms in the body. These rhythms are responsible for make a person feel alert or sleepy at regular time every day. It tells your body the time to awake. This clock works or set by the person’s exposure to sunlight.
Several types of the shift work schedules are:

• Night shifts
• Rotating shifts
• Early morning shifts

These types of sleep problem cause the person to have trouble in sleeping or report severe tiredness. It is often reported because of early morning and night shifts. Such people have sleep 1 to 4 hours less than an average person. Feeling of refreshes’ is absent when such people wake up as a result their performance at work is hindered.

This condition usually lasts only up till the person keeps a shift-work schedule. Once the person begins sleeping at normal time again, this problem tends to go away. In some cases it does not end. The severity and the length of the problem can vary from the person to person. There are different types of the work schedules. Some people may work overnight shift. Their problem would be certainly very brief. For regular night shift worker this problem may go on and on. A person working extra hours can add a fatigue to their problems.

This problem can affect a person even if that person is away from the job as that person will spend most of the free time in compensating the sleep by sleeping. This disorder also increases risk of drowsy driving. This may also the make person’s heart or stomach disorders worse. If a person thinks that using alcohol can improve the situation then the person is wrong as it can lead only to abuse.

Sleep problem from shift work can affect to all age groups of any sex. People having unusual working hours are most likely to suffer from it. Estimated 2% to 5% of the population is affected by this. Early morning shifts people are not included in it.

People in habit of sleeping late night daily may suffer from delay sleep phase disorder.

This can be treated. Many employers have planned up to help their co-shift workers to stay better rested. Their goal is simple, to make their shift worker rest better. This keeps them safer at job and healthier overall. Some techniques used by the employers are as following:

• Reducing number of times that a worker changes his/her shifts
• Offering the employees option of an exercise breaks
• Giving workers regularly few rest periods
• Change of shifts forward instead of backward in time
• Using bring light

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