Recovery after Shift Work: Relation to Coronary Risk Factors in Women

Shift work increases the risk for developing cardiovascular disease. There is, however, little knowledge of what aspects of shift scheduling that are detrimental and what characteristics promote good health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether coronary risk factors deteriorate after a hard work period and whether recovery, in the form of a week off, was sufficient to improve them. A total of 19 women worked an extremely rapidly rotating and clockwise shift schedule at a paper and pulp factory. They underwent two health examinations, one at the end of the work period and one after the week off. In addition, the women were divided into a tolerant and a vulnerable group, depending on their satisfaction with their work hours. Most risk factors did not change, but total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol were lower after the working period than after the week‐off. In addition, vulnerable women had higher levels of total cholesterol and a higher ratio of total cholesterol/high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) than tolerant ones. In conclusion, the finding that a week‐off worsens cholesterol levels was against our hypothesis and suggests further studies on how activities/responsibilities outside the workplace affect shift‐working women. It was also shown that susceptible shift workers had worse lipid profiles.