Who Is at Risk for Shift Work Disorder?
SWD may affect people who work irregular, early-morning, rotating, or night shifts.
That's because their work schedules force them to stay awake when the body normally
sleeps and to sleep when the body is normally awake.1
For some people, other factors may make it even more difficult to cope with shift
work2:
- Age older than 50 years
- History of sleep disorders
- History of gastrointestinal complaints
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
See the table below to learn about the wide range of industries that may require
either permanent or occasional shift work.3
A wide range of occupations may require either permanent or occasional shift work3
|
Professional and business services such as engineers, marketers,
IT professionals, and other people with corporate jobs
|
|
Healthcare professionals such as physicians, nurses, and pharmacists
|
|
Leisure, entertainment, and hospitality such as casino workers,
chefs, wait staff, actors, and hotel workers
|
|
Wholesale and retail trade such as warehouse workers, department
store and other retail store workers
|
|
Production and manufacturing such as steel, textile, and other
factory workers
|
|
Protective services such as police, firefighters, and first-responders
|
If you are concerned about shift work disorder, sign up
to receive more information, a self-assessment tool, and more.

References:
1.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
2. Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement WC, eds. Principles and Practices of Sleep Medicine. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2005.
3. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers on flexible and shift schedules. Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/flex.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2009.