NCJ Number
172042
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 21 Issue: 12 Dated: (December 1997) Pages: 36-37
Date Published
1997
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article suggests how police officers can maintain their health and performance in the context of shift work.
Abstract
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health technical report entitled "Health Consequences of Shift Work," the average night-shift worker averages 5 1/2 hours of sleep daily. Lack of sleep affects mood, health, and metabolism. Forty-five percent of all shift workers seek medical attention for digestive disorders, compared with only 9 percent of day workers. Drug and alcohol abuse is triple for shift workers. To increase the length and restfulness of their sleep, night-shift workers should sleep in rooms that are lightproof. This can be achieved with privacy shades, aluminum foil, and sheets and paint. To avoid the digestive problems that occur as a result of shift work, night workers should reverse the order of their meals. The largest meal should be eaten soon after waking. The equivalent of lunch is next. During the night shift, the lightest meal should be eaten. Shift workers, like everyone, should consume high-fiber, low-fat foods. Foods rich in fiber include fruits, vegetables, brown rice, peas, kidney beans, lentils, dark breads, and cereals. During the night shift, officers should work with someone else, because errors increase when working alone; 20-minute naps can help combat sleepiness. To establish some sense of routine, the National Sleep Foundation also advises getting up at the same time every day. Since shift work is not merely a personnel problem to be handled by the individual worker, management must be involved in improving conditions for the shift workers.