Night work, as defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) refers to “all work which is performed during a period of not less than seven consecutive hours, including the interval from midnight to 5 a.m.” It’s been prevalent since ancient times amongst kingdom guards, military, etc. However, night shifts in our economy in the sectors like IT, BPO, manufacturing, e-commerce, customer care, food delivery services, entertainment and service industry, etc can be traced back to the 1900s with the increased connectivity with global markets and technological advancements allowing industries to not remain idle without natural light leading to a 24-hours economy driven by profits and modern capitalism. Karl Marx mentions in Capital, Volume I , “To appropriate labor during all the 24 hours of the day is, therefore, the inherent tendency of capitalist production. But as it is physically impossible to exploit the same individual labour-power constantly during the night as well as the day, to overcome this physical hindrance, an alternation becomes necessary between the work people whose powers are exhausted by day, and those who are used up by night.” It seems like there has always been a trade off between increasing profits and the well-being, safety, and recognition of the human labour, a cost people from the third world countries have been willing to pay to have a job and financial and security for themselves and their family. Following the trends of other western countries, working in shifts then became a lucrative option to earn an extra buck due to more incentive while working overnight, or perhaps to earn any income at all. Recent trends show an increase in the number of employed people and freelancers working overnight especially after the COVID-19 pandemic where more and more people started to opt for night shift not just out of necessity but due to a preference to work in the night instead of daytime. It allowed people to have more autonomy over their schedule, allow for the changes in their lifestyles with more people preferring a late bedtime, and avoid frequent social contact. Specifically many neurodivergent people or ‘nightowls’ who generally feel most productive and active during the night have also started to have access to workspaces that accommodate their needs. The experience may be different for people in healthcare and emergency services which also happen to comprise the largest proportion of shift workers, where it’s essential and a prerequisite to work round the clock. Societal attitudes may differ as well based on this distinction where certain jobs which are considered more noble might garner more respect and understanding for an atypical schedule versus those which wouldn’t be as recognized and be often invisibilized in the dark. More women have also been entering the night shift workforce with the increasing opportunities and agency which can lead to additional challenges with safety and health for them. Thus, the experience of working at night may be very different for different groups in the society and should accordingly have measures to make this transition smooth and affirming.
Several studies have pointed out the negative and quite dangerous effects of working against our 24 hour sleep-wake cycle called the circadian rhythm, where we’re sleeping through the daylight and awake through the nighttime. Along with the imbalance in hormones and other biological functions, other high risk factors include exposure to harsh artificial lights; increased gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders due to snacking more fat and carbs rich food during late night and increased dependency on caffeine and aerated drinks; rise in blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases; sleep problems and insomnia because of outside noise and interruptions from other people following the typical schedule, managing family responsibilities, having a social life, and increased bedtime procrastination (also called revenge bedtime procrastination where the bedtime gets pushed even further because after work is where people feel they have most control over their personal time after their stressful job and end up doom scrolling more). Many psychosocial and mental health challenges have been observed too. People experience increased rates of chronic anxiety, low moods, isolation, irritability and fatigue due to sleep deficiency, lower cognitive processing and increased absenteeism and dependence on other substances like caffeine and sedative drugs.
Many practical and sustained steps can be taken to mitigate and manage most of these factors in order to maintain a comparatively healthy lifestyle and well being. You will need to truly assess and account for all the risk factors and if there is a capacity to sustain them. Night or rotational shifts may not be for everyone and it comes down to individual needs and responsibilities, preferences, personality traits, health complications, current needs and availability of resources to name a few. As this kind of work lifestyle is not typical or the norm, you would require extra effort to build systems for yourself that you can thrive in.
Having a fixed sleeping schedule, engaging in some movement or exercise, a winding down ritual to transition from work, and letting people around you know of your routine to minimize disturbances could be a few things that could smoothen the process. Try to step outdoors even for a brief walk in the sun, keep a track of your blood work and regular health check ups, and take extra care of yourself.
Image Description: A one point perspective view during night, surrounded by multi story office buildings with only some lights switched on and street lights below (Image Credit: Takashi Watanabe)
Apart from some individual changes, the onus to make the work-life healthy also lies with the systems you work and exist in. An employer or a manager should be able to offer alternatives to reduce burden like flexible work arrangements, frequent breaks, clear communication of work requirements, adequate compensation for any overtime, a comfortable workplace with not too stimulating lights and sound, and a transportation facility especially for women. Additionally, some of the state laws from various State Shops and Establishments Acts and The Factories Act, 1948 have made it mandatory to have special accommodations made for women working in the night shift that need to be implemented properly. The regulations and reforms in the new labour codes still only largely recognizes the formal sectors (those with social insurance) like IT, BPO, manufacturing, etc and the needs and vulnerabilities of those employed in the informal sector often go amiss, despite constituting approximately over 90 per cent of the entire workforce in India.
There’s a long way to go until we can see more support and lasting changes, so seek help when you might need it. It can be all the more difficult to reach out when you’ve been cut out from the typical cycles of day and night, relationships may feel out of sync and support may feel difficult to locate and access. It thus easy to get lost in the rut as you pass through work and life, but having some dedicated moments to reconnect with yourself is essential to also be found. By regularly re orienting yourself to your needs, values, boundaries, expectations, disappointments, etc. can allow you to experience yourself more deeply, and advocate for the changes you might need. Remembering to talk and spend time with your loved ones, mindfully engaging in walks, writing, doodling, music, or any activity or practices that help you meet yourself again, and most importantly being compassionate as you move through these changes can help build your repertoire to be excited, creative, and hopeful for what’s to come next. Let your people know of the new demands of your life, delegate some work if you can in managing responsibilities and chores,try to make social plans that suit your routine as well. Be clear with your needs and boundaries at work, ask for support when overwhelmed, and lastly don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional if managing it all alone starts feeling more and more difficult.
Some of the mental health services like helpline numbers that are available round the clock are - iCall: 022-25521111, Vandrevala Foundation: +91 7304599836 /+91 7304599837.
Image Description: A car leaving a residential building in a with only a couple of lights switched in the evening. (presumably to work) (Image Credit: Mike Balzar)
Reference:
Aliouche, H. What Are the Health Effects of Working Night Shifts? News Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Are-the-Health-Effects-of-Working-Night-Shifts.aspx
Leslie, J. (2016). The Night Shift: Capitalism’s Silent Killer. LeftVoice. https://www.leftvoice.org/the-night-shift-capitalism-s-silent-killer/
Vasanti, T., Anupama, B. (2023) A study on impact of night shift on working women professionals of IT industry at Bengaluru. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT). ISSN:2320-2882, Volume.11, Issue 12. https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2312498.pdf
What is night work? International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/%40ed_protect/%40protrav/%40travail/documents/publication/wcms_170716.pdf
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