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Review
. 2024 Mar 2;7(1):259.
doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-05962-8.

Move the night way: how can physical activity facilitate adaptation to shift work?

Dayna F Easton  1 , Charlotte C Gupta  2 , Grace E Vincent  2 , Sally A Ferguson  3
Affiliations
Review

Move the night way: how can physical activity facilitate adaptation to shift work?

Dayna F Easton et al. Commun Biol. .

Abstract

Shift work, involving night work, leads to impaired sleep, cognition, health and wellbeing, and an increased risk of occupational incidents. Current countermeasures include circadian adaptation to phase shift circadian biomarkers. However, evidence of real-world circadian adaptation is found primarily in occupations where light exposure is readily controlled. Despite this, non-photic adaptation to shift work remains under researched. Other markers of shift work adaptation exist (e.g., improvements in cognition and wellbeing outcomes) but are relatively unexplored. Timeframes for shift work adaptation involve changes which occur over a block of shifts, or over a shift working career. We propose an additional shift work adaptation timeframe exists which encompasses acute within shift changes in markers of adaptation. We also propose that physical activity might be an accessible and cost-effective countermeasure that could influence multiple markers of adaptation across three timeframes (Within Shift, Within Block, Within Work-span). Finally, practical considerations for shift workers, shift work industries and future research are identified.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. The impact of physical activity across different shift work timeframes, and the mechanisms by which physical activity impacts adaptation.
Schematic diagram representing the impact of physical activity across different shift work timeframes, the three mechanisms by which physical activity may support adaptation (acute psycho-physiological arousal, phase shifting and long-term coping strategies), and the role of individual factors. Vector images are fair use from Canva and are not standalone content.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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