Why shift work ages your brain 65% faster

Scientists claim that shift work could be ‘dulling your brain’.

16:48 04 November 2014

A new research study has found that working an irregular shift pattern may cause long-term damage to memory and mental ability.

Scientists claim that this disrupts the body’s internal clock the same way as jet lag and has been linked before to increased risk of health problems.

The study, which was undertook by 3,000 people living in France, showed that those who worked rotating shifts performed significantly worse in memory and cognitive speed tests than people who worked regular hours.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the authors, led by Dr Jean-Claude Marquié of the University of Toulouse, said: “The cognitive impairment observed in the present study may have important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society as a whole given the increasing number of jobs in high-hazard situations that are performed at night.”

“It may also affect shift workers’ quality of life, with respect to daily life activities that are highly dependent on the availability of cognitive resources.

“The current findings highlight the importance of maintaining a medical surveillance of shift workers, especially of those who have remained in shift work for 10 years or more.”