There is also evidence that certain health risks are associated with Key Stage 5 regular shift work, including cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Shifting sleep problems Pupil worksheet Circadian rhythms These are biological rhythms that follow approximately a 24 hour cycle. The name stems from the Latin; circa (meaning ‘about’) and diem Your task (meaning ‘day’). Examples include the sleep-wake cycle, body The director of Yangtze, a popular internet shopping company, has temperature and hormone production. contacted you for advice. They currently employ people on a rotating During a 24 hour period, humans experience a period of sleep for shift pattern which changes every week. They work shifts of: around 8 hours and a period of wakefulness of around 16 hours. The 6am to 2 pm then 2pm to 10pm then 10pm to 6am cycle is controlled internally by a body-clock (an endogenous They are concerned about the health of their employees and want you pacemaker), the main one being the supachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). It is to put together advice on how to help them avoid shift work disorder. also influenced by external cues (endogenous zeitgebers) such as light. Work in a group of 3. The problem with shift work Each person will research one possible solution: changing how often Shift work is any scheduled work outside of normal daytime hours (7 am shift patterns are rotated, using light therapy, using drugs. to 7 pm). People who do shift work find themselves working, and In your research include evidence from scientific studies. therefore having to be alert, at night. This results in prolonged conflict Rejoin as a group and discuss your findings. Put together your between the internal body clock and external stimuli and can lead to advice for the company. excessive sleepiness when the worker has to be alert and difficulty Key Stage 5 falling asleep at the right time. The results of shift work disorder include reduced productivity and morale and, in some extreme cases, Sifting sleep problems dangerous consequences. It is no coincidence that major disasters such as Chernobyl occurred in the early hours of the morning when were tired.
Key Stage 5 Shifting sleep problems Pupil worksheet Circadian rhythms These are biological rhythms that follow approximately a 24 hour cycle. The name stems from the Latin; circa (meaning ‘about’) and diem (meaning ‘day’). Examples include the sleep-wake cycle, body temperature and hormone production. During a 24 hour period, humans experience a period of sleep for around 8 hours and a period of wakefulness of around 16 hours. The cycle is controlled internally by a body-clock (an endogenous pacemaker), the main one being the supachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). It is also influenced by external cues (endogenous zeitgebers) such as light. The problem with shift work Shift work is any scheduled work outside of normal daytime hours (7 am to 7 pm). People who do shift work find themselves working, and therefore having to be alert, at night. This results in prolonged conflict between the internal body clock and external stimuli and can lead to excessive sleepiness when the worker has to be alert and difficulty falling asleep at the right time. The results of shift work disorder include reduced productivity and morale and, in some extreme cases, dangerous consequences. It is no coincidence that major disasters such as Chernobyl occurred in the early hours of the morning when were tired. There is also evidence that certain health risks are associated with regular shift work, including cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Your task The director of Yangtze, a popular internet shopping company, has contacted you for advice. They currently employ people on a rotating shift pattern which changes every week. They work shifts of: 6am to 2 pm then 2pm to 10pm then 10pm to 6am They are concerned about the health of their employees and want you to put together advice on how to help them avoid shift work disorder. Work in a group of 3. Each person will research one possible solution: changing how often shift patterns are rotated, using light therapy, using drugs. In your research include evidence from scientific studies. Rejoin as a group and discuss your findings. Put together your advice for the company. Key Stage 5 Sifting sleep problems