Night Shift Dulls your brain

[Emergent, RN]

According to a study, working "anti-social" shifts decreases brain function.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29879521

Their study, in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, suggested a decade of shifts aged the brain by more than six years.There was some recovery after people stopped working antisocial shifts, but it took five years to return to normal.

Experts say the findings could be important in dementia, as many patients have disrupted sleep.

The body's internal clock is designed for us to be active in the day and asleep at night.

The damaging effects on the body of working against the body clock, from breast cancer to obesity, are well known.

I'm disappointed to hear this. Now where in the world did I put my keys?

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

This totally makes sense to me. I feel that my brained is dulled every time I do a night shift. I'm so glad that there are nurses out there that love it or able to manage. The negative impact it has on me mentally and physically, I just can't deal.

[No Stars In My Eyes]

If I have to do a night shift (seldom) it takes me two-three days to recover to the point where I no longer feel like I've been flattened by a steam-roller.

[QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP]

I don't know, at least for me I know I can think better and sharper at night because it's slower paced (usually) and there are less people around. My brain does not do well in chaotic environments, so day shift really blew for me. My introverted brain does not like so much stimuli hanging around.

However, I do feel extremely jet lagged after even one night shift in which I need two days to recover from.

[loriangel14, RN]

Oh wow, is that what happened to me?

Oddly enough I love night shift.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Weird. I feel the same way about me working day shift.

[Emergent, RN]

Odd that they say "A decade of shifts ages brain 6 years". That sounds like a net gain of 4 years to me.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

I worked nights for several years and liked a lot of things about it. It did indeed dull my brain. I call that time period "the lost years."

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

15 years of nights, and I am going to do some again...well, that study explains a lot!

[SoaringOwl]

Weird. I feel the same way about me working day shift.

My whole life I've tried getting up early in the morning. My whole life my body said 'work night shift dummy.' I'm so much happier at night. My parents always worked evenings and nights, so I grew up reversed.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I worked permanent nights for 4 years. I love nights, but I've always been wired for nights, even as a child.

Nights can be rough on the brain and the body for many people. However.....day shift just doesn't work well for us night owls. I dread waking up before 8am, so although I work days now and I've adjusted to days, it's not ideal.

[UmmIbrahim]

My whole life I've tried getting up early in the morning. My whole life my body said 'work night shift dummy.' I'm so much happier at night. My parents always worked evenings and nights, so I grew up reversed.

I ditto this...I am *not* a Morning person...I'm also not really a day person. I only am because I am forced too but in a natural state I am most alert at night and can easy go till 3 or 4 am and then sleep until noon-ish and am pretty OK. I try to always schedule nights and yes I prefer that its less busy-still chaotic often but less busy with many people going here and there.... Its like Coffee...ive read that some people the chemicals in coffee benefit and in others it harms... it boils down to genetics...I have friends who when they work nights get really messed up for a few days after, others bounce right back. I bounce right back.