Worst work hours during the daytime

Work ceases to be worship and becomes plain hardship, especially when faced with long work hours and stress. A normal work day used to be 9 to 5 in the years gone by – now, virtually everyone in the corporate sector who wants be a somebody there, has to be on "standby" mode, often stretching a work day to more than 18 hours. “I’ll sleep when I am dead” is what these busybodies put up as an argument for their workaholism.

While there are some others who have no choice but to put up with strange work hours or outrageous demands made on them by their professions; take certain key occupations like the police force, medics, and firefighters - these people are constantly on call and are even required to do double shifts at times. Over a period of time, this has a dangerous effect on their health and well-being.

So, what are the most dangerous or worst work hours for your health?

That horrid stretch known as the "Graveyard Shift" is absolutely the worst thing that could happen to your health. A study conducted by the University of Pittsburg has now confirmed that working odd hours or late into the night can give you diabetes, and since it affects the metabolic rate, it can make you a prime candidate for a spate of ailments like :

1. Depression


2. Migraines


3. Decline in cognitive function


4. Heart Disease


5. Hypertension


6. Decline in immunity

Moreover, the human body wasn't designed to take on this kind of abnormal stress on the mind and body.

A University of Pittsburgh has confirmed that late hours could actually wreak havoc on your metabolism and leave you to do the "Zombie Stomp," the detrimental effects of graveyard shifts on the human body.

Why does this happen?

We all have an internal body clock which regulates all vital processes in the body and ensures their smooth functioning. Working late nights only ends up confusing the body clock, and as a result, the processes which are largely dependent on this clock, go completely awry. If this is kept up, it could severely impair and disrupt the working of the fighter cells which keep diseases or infections at bay. In a way, there is complete chaos in the body and consequently on the mind.

A very understanding corporate management often compensates their "Graveyard Shift" workers rather handsomely for the trouble they put their bodies through. However, this only ends up being an incentive for attracting more people to do these shifts due to the money or the perks involved.

Thus, what do you have? Thousands of call centre or IT employees, policemen, nurses, doctors, firefighters, etc., going to work when everybody else is going home and then returning home 'zombie-like' to greet the morning sun.

For cops or doctors, it is at times a real thankless occupation and they might not have much of a choice with regard to their choice of work hours, but for those who can help it - at least make sure that you are not rostered for late shifts more than 7 to 10 days in a month. Make sure you eat adequate food and replenish the body with lots of fluids and water. After the shift, make sure you hit the bed right away. If you can’t avoid working late nights, then at least make sure you are getting paid to do that, as the chances are you might need the money for the medicos when your health takes a turn for the worst.