Long-term effects and vulnerable groups Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are common among shift workers and may be due to changes in the circadian rhythms of gastrointestinal function, lack of sleep leading to a stress response and to changes in immune function, or to the types of foods available. during these shifts. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Schernhammer and colleagues (2006) reported an increased risk of colon cancer among nurses working 3 or more nights per month for 15 years or more. Psychological complaints are commonly reported, including depression and other mood disorders, personality changes, and relationship difficulties. A review of 17 studies suggests that shift work increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40 percent compared to day workers. Possible mechanisms include decreased glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, elevated cortisol levels, and increased sympathetic activity. Studies of reproductive outcomes have concluded that shift work is associated with a small increase in spontaneous abortions, premature births, and reduced fertility among women. The effect on reproduction in humans has not been analyzed due to an insufficient number of studies. A meta-analysis of 13 studies examining night work and breast cancer found that night work was associated with moderately elevated risk among women. Exposure to light at night reduces melatonin levels, increasing cancer risks. Shift work can also exacerbate pre-existing chronic conditions, making it difficult to control symptoms and disease progression. Shift work interferes with treatment regimens that involve regular sleeping hours, avoiding sleep deprivation, controlling the quantity and times of meals and exercise, or careful timing of medications whose effectiveness varies across cycles circadians. Sood suggests several conditions that may be exacerbated by shift work: unstable angina or history of myocardial infarction, hypertension, insulin-dependent diabetes, asthma, psychiatric illnesses, substance abuse, gastrointestinal illnesses, intestinal disorders, sleep disorders and epilepsy requiring medication. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayCosta adds chronic kidney disease, thyroid and adrenal pathologies, malignancies and pregnancy to this list. Aging is also associated with lower tolerance for shift work, which may be due to age-related changes in sleep that may make it more difficult for older adults to initiate and maintain sleep at different times of the day. daytime. These changes in sleep may begin as early as their 30s or 40s, so some workers who initially adapted well to shift work during their youth may experience more symptoms as they age. Caruso and colleagues reported that in terms of long work hours, overtime was associated with poorer perceived general health, increased injury rates, more illness, or increased mortality in 16 of 22 recently published studies. Dembe and colleagues, examining data from the Survey.