Shiftwork: the special challenges for women.
1. Humans are designed to sleep at night and work during the day; thus, shiftwork is inherently non-physiological. The species has not yet evolved to the point of being able to adjust to a 24 hour day, despite society's demands. 2. Certain individuals may be better able to cope with the requirements of shiftwork than others. Women may be less able than men to do so because of the demands of home and family life and physiological differences. 3. Shifts can be designed to be more or less difficult for certain individuals. "Night owl" individuals might do best with evening shifts, "morning larks" with shifts starting in the early morning.
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D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D016387:Women's Health; D014931:Women, Working / Q000523:psychology; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance