Sleeping on the Job

Restless and Unhealthy: People who work rotating shifts are more apt to suffer from sleep disorders, as well as anxiety, anger and depression, according to a new study. Researchers say this because their bodies tend to produce lower levels of serotonin, a hormone associated with regulating sleep. The research studies 683 men of European ancestry, comparing 437 daytime workers with 246 people who rotate between shifts. Those working shifts had significantly lower levels of serotonin, which is measured by blood tests, than daytime workers. Aside from cutting into their job performance, this also leads shift workers to be heavier, less healthy and more prone to accidents, according to the research, which appeared in the August 1 issue of Sleep, a medical journal.