Working night shifts can ruin the memory.
A new study has found that those working at night in their current jobs had 79 per cent higher rates of memory impairment in middle-age compared to those who worked during daytime hours.
The authors believe that the disruption to the circadian rhythm – the body clock – is to blame for the health issues faced by night shift workers.
A team from York University in Canada analysed information on more than 47,000 adults – including information on employment, work schedules and the results of cognitive function tests.
Previous findings have established that shift work – which refers to any work schedule outside of the traditional 9am to 5pm hours – has a significant impact on a person’s health.
Writing in the journal Plos One, the researchers said: “The findings suggest a potential link between shift work exposure and cognitive function impairment. We speculate that disruptive circadian stimuli may play a role in neurodegeneration contributing to cognitive impairment.”
