While living in Orlando, maybe five years ago, I worked nights for Mickey tieing rods. We had no choice as we couldn't place and tie rebar with a Park full of people. That being said, I have two things to add..................
We were afforded a shift differential of $2.50/hour and there was a big OSHA poster documenting the hazards of working the "graveyard" hours. The upset circadian rythm, increased heart attack risks, and immune system weakness were the ones that concerned me the most. Like anything else we put our bodies through, I believe with proper preventative measures (dark sleep, leafy greens, regular prostate check-ups, and wheatgrass for immunity build-up to name a few) our body's ability to adjust and adapt to various types of rigors is amazing.
I also stocked groceries for a large chain in my twenties at night. Didn't feel it then, but I did feel it more or notice a difference in my general well being when I worked those hours for Disney in my early forties. Could these forces wear more on our bodies the older we get? Seems like the jury is still out on anything definitive, but it is cause for concern and thanks for the heads up, Cheferson
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The second thing is simply this: Coincidence, or poignancy that those working hours are commonly referred to as the Graveyard Shift? Not gonna keep me outta the surf at night, though. I've got all winter to sleep and I feel that short term exposure to sleep deprivation is not as costly as a lifetime/career of those types of strains to one's physicology. Carcinogens are everywhere and for the most part it takes prolonged exposure to impact the human body negatively, imho.
Lastly, diet ~or the garbage we stuff our faces with~ has a huge bearing on whether or not the cancer cells present in EVERYONE'S system grow and become a potential "problem". John Hopkins just published a very interesting study detailing several ways to avoid the everyday exposure types of things.
In the diet realm of their report, what stuck out the most for me were the foods that "feed" the bad cancer cells. Two of me favorites, naturally. Sugar and Fat. They're both in everything, or anything "worth" eating. At 47, it's time for me to make some changes and better culinary choices. Not a cure, certainly, but it cain't hurt to eat better and exercise more often ~at any age.
The Hopkins study also warned us not to drink from plastic bottles (water, sports drinks, teas) that have been frozen, not to drink from plastic bottles that have been over-exposed to the sun, and not to heat anything in the micro in plastic/tupperware as all of these factors release the carcinogens from the plastic and into the food.
Just some FYI, hope this helps. The Hopkins Study should be available on the net as there was much more there.....................