Sleep, mental health and physical health in new shift workers: longitudinal study
Summary
This review pulled together 48 studies that followed people as they began shift work. Across those studies, the first effects showed up in sleep and mental health: people slept less and reported more symptoms like low mood, stress, and burnout within the first months. By contrast, most physical health measures didn’t show clear changes that early, although some studies did find more fatigue and worse self-rated physical health. The review also found that how someone was doing before they started—especially their sleep and mental health, plus aspects of the job schedule—helped predict who coped better once shifts began. Overall, the evidence points to the transition period as a vulnerable time where problems tend to start.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
When people first move into shift work, the earliest impacts tend to be poor sleep and changes in mood; measurable physical illness usually shows up later, if at all, in the short term. Knowing that the first months are the riskiest for sleep and mental health helps set expectations and highlights why the start of a shift-work role is a key moment for attention and support—from workers themselves, teams, and workplaces.
Notes
Journal: Sleep Medicine Reviews (record page).