Work at nightis indeed harmful to health. It is the conclusion of a opinion published this Wednesday by ANSES. The agency points out the risks of sleeping troublesof cardiovascular disorders, mental disorders and metabolic disorders in people subject to “atypical” working hours, in particular those who work at night. ANSES makes these conclusions after being seized by the French Confederation of Christian Workers (CFTC).
Working night shifts disrupts biological rhythms by desynchronizing circadian rhythms (wake-sleep cycles). This upheaval has repercussions on health, already underlined by studies, and confirmed by ANSES, namely:
-a proven impact on drowsiness, sleep quality and reduction in total sleep time, and metabolic syndrome
– “probable” effects on mental health, cognitive performance, obesity and weight gain, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease (coronary ischemia and myocardial infarction);
– “possible effects” on dyslipidemia (too high concentrations of certain lipids in the blood), arterial hypertension and ischemic stroke.
Can night work increase the risk of cancer? To this question, ANSES concludes with “a probable effect” of night work on the risk of cancer. And to specify: “There are in particular elements in favor of an excess risk of breast cancer associated with night work which would be due to disturbances of biological cycles”.
“Optimizing night work organization methods”
Faced with this observation, ANSES is making recommendations that go in the direction of an “optimized” use of night work in order to limit its impact on the professional and personal lives of the people concerned. “The use of night work can be justified for situations requiring the provision of social utility services or the continuity of economic activity (hospitals, public utility services, etc.)”, she writes.
In France, 3.5 million people, or 15% of employees, work at night on a regular or occasional basis, according to ANSES.
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