OVERVIEW

The Challenge of Shift Work forms part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar, a coordinated programme of national public education presented by The Sleep Society to improve sleep health awareness across Canada.

Millions of Canadians work outside conventional daytime hours. Healthcare professionals, emergency responders, transportation workers, industrial employees, hospitality staff and many others provide essential services throughout the night and around the clock. Yet the human body is biologically designed to be awake and active during the day and to sleep at night.

Shift work can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms and make obtaining sufficient, good-quality sleep more difficult. The consequences can extend beyond tiredness, affecting alertness, reaction time, judgement, health, safety and quality of life. This initiative recognises both the essential contribution of shift workers and the importance of helping individuals and organisations understand and manage the challenges associated with working against our biological clock.

WHY IT MATTERS

Circadian disruption, shift work and insufficient sleep can impair alertness, reaction time, judgement and decision-making, increasing the risk of workplace incidents, motor vehicle crashes and errors. Long-term exposure to shift work, particularly night work, is also associated with increased risks of cardiovascular and metabolic disease and other adverse health outcomes.

The effects are not limited to the workplace. Shift work can influence family life, relationships, social activities, mental wellbeing and the ability to obtain regular restorative sleep.

Shift work cannot simply be eliminated—many of the services upon which society depends require people to work around the clock. The challenge is therefore to make shift work as healthy and safe as reasonably possible. Better scheduling, fatigue risk management, appropriate workplace practices and greater understanding of sleep and circadian health can benefit shift workers, their families, employers and the communities they serve.

BACKGROUND

The Challenge of Shift Work is observed throughout July as part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar. The initiative promotes greater understanding of the biological and practical challenges associated with working outside conventional daytime hours and encourages healthier and safer approaches to shift work.

For many years, fatigue associated with shift work was often regarded simply as something workers were expected to tolerate or manage themselves. Sleep and circadian science have demonstrated that the problem is considerably more complex. Working at night requires people to remain alert when their biological clock is promoting sleep, while attempting to sleep during the day when the body is promoting wakefulness.

Recognising this biological conflict changes the conversation. Managing shift work and fatigue is not solely the responsibility of the individual worker. Employers, scheduling practices, workplace culture, education and fatigue risk management all have important roles in protecting health, safety and performance.

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CURRENT ACTIVITIES

The Sleep Society and SleepSafeCanada are currently working to:

• Promote public and workplace awareness of the effects of shift work, circadian disruption and insufficient sleep.
• Increase understanding of fatigue and its potential effects on alertness, judgement, performance and safety.
• Encourage healthier approaches to shift scheduling, sleep, recovery and fatigue risk management.
• Develop educational resources for shift workers, their families, employers, healthcare professionals and workplace safety organisations.
• Support annual awareness activities throughout July as part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar.
• Encourage collaboration with healthcare organisations, employers, labour organisations, transportation and public safety organisations, governments and industry.
• Build partnerships and national support to improve understanding and management of shift work across Canada.

ENDORSEMENTS

We welcome the endorsement of governments, healthcare organisations, employers, labour organisations, professional associations, workplace safety organisations and community organisations that support the aims of this initiative and greater recognition of the health and safety challenges associated with shift work.

PARTNERS

We collaborate with organisations that actively support the development, delivery and promotion of this initiative through education, research, workplace collaboration and public engagement.

SUPPORTERS

We gratefully acknowledge organisations, businesses and individuals who support the aims of this initiative and help raise awareness within their workplaces, communities and networks.

SPONSORS

We gratefully recognise organisations whose financial or in-kind support helps make this initiative possible and extends its reach across Canada.

RESOURCES

Access articles, fact sheets, videos, posters and downloadable resources relating to shift work, circadian health, fatigue, sleep and workplace safety.

SleepSafeCanada

Canada’s National Sleep Health Awareness Initiative

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SleepSafeCanada promotes public awareness of the importance of healthy sleep through Canada’s Sleep Calendar, national education campaigns, community engagement and public health initiatives that encourage healthier, safer and more productive lives.

A Better Sleep

Your Trusted Sleep Information Resource

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For additional public information, articles and downloadable resources relating to this initiative, please visit abettersleep.net. The site provides trusted, evidence-based information to help people better understand healthy sleep, sleep disorders and the lifelong importance of healthy sleep.

The Sleep Society

Canada’s Interdisciplinary Sleep Health Community

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The Sleep Society brings together healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, organisations and industry to advance sleep health through collaboration, education and research. Visitors can explore professional education, connect with Canada’s growing interdisciplinary sleep health community and locate healthcare professionals with an interest in sleep health.

GET INVOLVED

Help raise awareness of the initiative by sharing information and supporting greater understanding of the challenges faced by shift workers and the importance of healthy sleep, appropriate scheduling and effective fatigue management.

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MEDIA CENTRE

Access news, media releases, campaign updates and other information relating to The Challenge of Shift Work.

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TOGETHER

The Sleep Society has selected Web Hosting Canada as its Strategic Technology Partner, supporting the continued development, delivery and national growth of this initiative while helping build the digital infrastructure needed to support future collaboration across Canada.

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