New Delhi: The 108th Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young on Monday for unravelling molecular mechanisms that controls the circadian rhythm, or the 24-hour body clock.

Winning a Nobel Prize is a life-changing honour. Whether the laureate is an internationally known figure (such as Mother Teresa or Barack Obama, winners of the 1979 and 2009 Peace Prize, respectively) or a scientist plucked from obscurity (like Richard R. Ernst, who won the 1991 prize in chemistry for refinements in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), the award brings with it worldwide recognition that highlights one's life work and provides the funds to continue and further the mission. 

And therefore, these three US scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine this time, as their study around circadian rhythm, or the 24-hour body clock holds enough importance. 

The trio basically identified genes that regulate the clock, and the mechanism by which light can synchronise it. So we are slaves to our circadian system, and Hall, Rosbash, and Young helped us understand how and why.

What does your ‘circadian rhythm’ mean?

The human body follows a daily rhythm, which involves the fluctuation of over 100 body functions, with regular peaks and troughs, in a 24-hour cycle. These daily cycles are called circadian rhythms. The word ‘circadian’ comes from the Latin ‘circa dies’, which means ‘about a day’.
Circadian rhythms regulate body functions such as temperature, metabolism, digestion, blood pressure, and secretion of adrenalin, sleeping and waking. These rhythmical processes form the body’s internal clock and are co-ordinated so as to allow for high activity (peaks) during the day and low activity (troughs) at night. Hence, this is one reason why people often feel most active and alert around 4-6pm, and sleepiest around 4-6am.

Humans, plants, and animals are all ruled by an internal clock that runs on a 24-hour, light-dark cycle in sync with the sun. 

In humans, these biological clocks anticipate various activities throughout the day, from waking up to sleeping and eating, by regulating things like hormone levels, temperature, and metabolism. Our circadian rhythm is intimately tied to our health and well-being (which helps explain why jet lag or a late-night shift work can be so draining and harmful).

Such tinkering with Mother Nature can have serious consequences ranging from impulsive behaviour to life-threatening conditions such as obesity and cancer, the experts say.

The trouble is that the human body never really adapts to operating outside the normal cycle of working by day, and sleeping at night. Like everyone else, shift workers' biological clocks are set by the rising and setting of the Sun—not their work schedule. When workers force themselves to stay awake, it triggers the release of stress hormones such as cortisol—the same one that rushes into your blood in a life-or-death situation.

The chemicals may keep you on your feet, but they are a bargain with the devil. For example, cortisol works to suppress the immune system and in the long run can make you more susceptible to a range of illnesses, including cancer.

Yet humans have a long history of overriding the circadian-driven need for sleep — the most obvious example being night work.

Night shift work is an important part of the modern economy. As we move ever closer to a 24 hour society, the number of people working at night will continue to increase in the foreseeable future – especially within the service sector.

Different professions across the globe require people to work odd, sometimes bizarre shifts.
Various studies have shown that these shifts, especially the night shift, often tend to cause an imbalance within your system and regularly working nights brings with it a number of different health risks, which the majority of people were unaware of.

Even though some may feel comfortable with night’s shifts, your health is ultimately bearing the brunt of the changes in your body-clock and lifestyle.

Experts say, “Working odd hours leads to some obvious problems. People who do shift work tend to have sleep disturbances and sleep loss. They might feel isolated, since their jobs cut them off from their friends and families. They might find it harder to exercise regularly, and may be prone to eat junk food. 

Let’s have a look at the health problems which people working in night shift face.

• Sleeping problem: This is the most important problem to deal for those who work in night shifts. It takes lot of time to adjust body’s clock timing to sleep in the day and work in the night. Not all people find it easy to handle while the nocturnal won’t find any issues with it.​

• Weight problem: Many people tend to put on weight due to over eating during night shifts. There is also set of people who find it hard to maintain regular weight because of erratic eating habits.

• Stomach disorders: Working in night shifts invites host of stomach related problems like stomach burn, digestion, constipation, acidity, heartburn etc. All these problems if once show there occurrences are difficult to deal with.

• Stress: A person working in night shift is constantly faces lot of stress. He has pressure to perform better, deal with family and managing health issues leaves him with lot of stress bothering him.

• Higher risk of diabetes: The release of insulin - necessary for controlling and balancing blood sugar levels - is greatly affected by changes in the body's internal clock. As a result, has also been revealed through studies, night shifts put people (especially men) at a greater risk of type II diabetes when compared to usual nine to five desk jobs.  

• Increased risk of breast cancer: A research published in an international journal on cancer strongly suggests that working night shifts can increase a person's risk for breast cancer by as much as 30 per cent! The same study also revealed that this enhanced risk was seen to be quite evident for women who had worked for several years in a row in night shifts. 

• Ill-Effects on metabolism, higher risk of heart ailments:  Night shifts are seen to interfere with the secretion of several important hormones - and one among these is 'leptin'. Leptin plays an important role in regulating blood sugar and insulin levels, balancing one's appetite and regulating the metabolic rate of the body. Thus, working night shift can not only cause you to pile on weight but also increase your risk of diabetes and heart diseases. Basically, working the night shift could mean a higher chance of a heart attack. This has been corroborated by the findings of a new research published in the British Medical Journal that included inputs from 34 studies. 

• Emotional & Behavioural Problems: Nobody likes to work in the night when all the dear ones are sleeping. A person is bound to show behavioral problems because of his work pattern. He may also go through emotional stress if he fails spend quality time with his family members.

• Increased risk of depression: Even if there was no benefit of knowing what scientifically conducted studies have to say, we all know how our mood and mental health get affected by sleep or the lack of it. A number of studies prove that working in shifts is closely linked to a higher risk of developing depression along with other aggravated mood disorders. Thus, as a night shift worker, you could be jeopardizing not just your physical health but also your mental well-being.

You cannot leave your job because you need to work in night shifts or grave yard shifts. Nobody likes having so many problems because of working in night shifts. The only solution to deal with the above problems is to act smart and learn ways to manage the above problems.

What can individuals themselves do to cope better with night shift work?

Whether you're a night owl who loves the late shift or forced to work nights though you'd rather not, you can reduce the risks associated with night shift.

References:

www.reuters.com

www.philstar.com

www.vox.com

www.zeenews.india.com

www.work.chron.com

www.medimanage.com

www.lifehacker.co.in