Health
Working the night shift may cause dangerous health conditions, long-term risk of disease
Working through the night can put a toll on your body and overall health.
More than 9 million adults in the United States work shifts at night, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
There are many jobs in a variety of industries that require staff at night, including medical professionals, flight attendants, hotel receptionists, construction workers, truck drivers, firefighters, law enforcement and others.
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Working the night shift requires adjusted sleep schedules and meal times, which are two contributing factors to the health problems associated with late-night hours that could include an increased risk of cancer, gastrointestinal disorders and more.
- Increased cancer risk
- Possible gastrointestinal disorders
- Increased risk for cardiovascular disease
- Psychological concerns
1. Increased cancer risk
Studies have shown an increased risk of certain cancers among those who work the night shift.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) drew its own conclusions based on “systematic review methods and established criteria” about a link between working the night shift to certain cancers, according to a 2021 report by the organization.
Studies have shown several different health risks linked to frequently working the night shift for extended lengths of time. (iStock)
The NTP found “high evidence” that frequently working the night shift disrupts circadian rhythms and can cause breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
A circadian rhythm is the body’s internal 24-hour clock. One factor that affects a circadian rhythm is light.
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Working the night shift disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm because a person is working during a time when the body’s natural instinct is to sleep.
If you are someone who often works the night shift, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends trying to stick to a similar sleep schedule even on the days when you are off from work to help your body get into a better routine.
Many health risks associated with working the night shift come with the disruption of a person’s sleep schedule. (iStock)
2. Possible gastrointestinal disorders
When you work the night shift, you may eat at odd hours.
Possible gastrointestinal disorders you could face include abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, change in appetite, indigestion and heartburn, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
A disturbed circadian rhythm can again be to blame for these gastrointestinal problems because the body’s internal clock may not properly function when food is eaten at abnormal hours during the night.
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It is important to keep yourself fueled with food and hydrated with plenty of water while you’re on your feet working long hours at night.
What you eat at work, and even where you eat, can help ease these digestive problems, according to NIOSH.
Recommended foods for work hours include vegetables, salads, soups, fruits, wholegrain sandwiches, yogurt, cheese, eggs, nuts and green tea.
Those who frequently work night shifts could experience digestive issues. (iStock)
The NIOSH also suggests seeking a different environment to eat away from work and try to enjoy your meal with other coworkers.
Avoid eating between midnight and 6 a.m. if possible to help form a relatively normal meal routine, NIOSH recommends.
3. Increased risk for cardiovascular disease
Heart health could be a risk from many years of frequent night shifts.
Research has made a connection between certain risk factors that could be prevalent in those who work the night shift that are associated with cardiovascular disease, such as smoking and metabolic disturbances, according to NIOSH.
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Those with high blood pressure could be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes if they work frequent night shifts, according to findings published in August 2022 by the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Research suggests people who work the night shift have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. (iStock)
The study spanned over 12 years, in which 36,939 participants in the U.K. Biobank were monitored.
It was found that those who had high blood pressure and worked night shifts had a 16% higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke than those who worked during normal daytime hours, according to the study.
4. Psychological concerns
Working the night shift can come with many psychological concerns.
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Individuals who frequently work during the night can experience extreme fatigue and feelings of isolation.
One mental health concern prevalent for those who work the night shift is depression.
Extreme fatigue and feelings of isolation are often present among night shift workers. (iStock)
In 2023, a study was published in the National Library of Medicine backing this concern.
A systematic review and meta-analysis was done to determine whether there was a link between depression and nurses working night shifts.
The study found “a significant association between night shift work, the circadian and sleep disruption it causes and the risk of depression in nurses.”
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Big moves are continuing in the weight loss landscape in the new year following breakthrough research of GLP-1 medications and other methods.
Weight-loss experts spoke with Fox News Digital about their predictions for the most major changes to come in 2026.
No. 1: Shift to whole-body treatment
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New York and New Jersey, shared that the most important shift is likely to label GLP-1 drugs as “multi-system metabolic modulators” rather than “simple weight loss drugs.”
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“The treatment goal is no longer just BMI reduction, but total cardiometabolic risk mitigation, with effects now documented across the liver, heart, kidneys and vasculature,” he said.
“We are seeing a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events … and progression of renal disease,” he went on.
The focus of GLP-1 drugs will widen beyond weight loss and diabetes, according to experts’ predictions. (iStock)
Philip Rabito, M.D., a specialist in endocrinology, weight loss and wellness in New York City, also shared that “exciting” advancements lie ahead for weight-loss drugs, including GLP-1s and GIPs.
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“These next‑generation agents, along with novel combinations that include glucagon and amylin agonists, are demonstrating even more impressive weight‑loss outcomes than currently available therapies, with the potential for better tolerability and sustained results,” he told Fox News Digital.
“There is also tremendous optimism around new federal agreements with manufacturers that aim to make these medications more widely accessible and affordable for the broad population of patients who need them most.”
No. 2: More convenient dosing
The typical prescription for a GLP-1 medication is a weekly injection, but delivery and dosing may be changing to more convenient methods in 2026, according to Balazs.
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A daily 25 mg pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, a semaglutide designed to treat obesity, is now approved and available for chronic weight management, offering a non-injectable option for some patients.
A once-weekly oral GLP-1 is currently in phase 2 trials, as well as an implant that aims for three to six months of drug delivery, Balazs noted.
Incisionless weight-loss procedures will rise as a lower-risk option, according to experts. (iStock)
No. 3: Less invasive surgery
In addition to decreased risk during surgery for GLP-1 users, Balazs also predicted that metabolic surgery without incision will rise as a better option.
“Incisionless endoscopic procedures — like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (non-surgical weight-loss procedure that makes the stomach smaller from the inside) and duodenal mucosal resurfacing (non-surgical procedure that resets part of the small intestine to help the body better handle blood sugar) — [may become] more durable and widely available,” he said.
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“These offer significant metabolic benefits with shorter recovery and lower risk than traditional surgery.”
Rabito agreed that “rapid progress” in minimally invasive weight‑loss procedures is “opening powerful new options for patients who are hesitant to pursue traditional bariatric surgery.”
Bariatric surgery remains the most effective weight loss method, one specialist says. (iStock)
This avenue offers “meaningful and durable weight reduction with less risk, shorter recovery times and no external incisions,” the expert added.
Dr. Muhammad Ghanem, bariatric surgeon at the Orlando Health Weight Loss & Bariatric Surgery Institute, reiterated that surgery remains “the most successful modality for the treatment of obesity … with the highest weight loss and most durable outcomes as of yet.”
No. 4: Younger GLP-1 users
As Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has been indicated for adolescents over 12 years old as an obesity treatment, Balazs commented that pediatric use of weight-loss drugs is “now a clinical reality.”
He predicted that other alternatives are likely to be approved in 2026 for younger users.
No. 5: High-tech, personalized access
Amid the growth of artificial intelligence, Balazs predicted an expansion in the clinical implementation of AI-driven weight-loss methods.
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This could include categorizing obesity into sub-types like “hungry brain,” “emotional hunger” and “slow burn” to personalize how therapy is prescribed while moving away from “trial and error,” he said.
Ghanem agreed that there will likely be a “big focus” on individualized testing for causes of obesity in 2026, as it’s a disease that can have “different causes in different people,” thus requiring different treatments.
AI and other digital opportunities will drive more access for weight-loss patients, experts say. (iStock)
The doctor anticipates that more patients will seek combinations of comprehensive treatments and programs.
“Patients are more aware that now we have a few weapons in our arsenal to combat obesity, and [they] are seeking a multidisciplinary and holistic approach,” Ghanem said.
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Treatment options will also turn digital with the rise of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for weight loss, Balazs predicted.
“These are software applications delivering cognitive behavioral therapy, personalized nutrition and metabolic coaching through algorithms, often integrated with continuous glucose monitors, and reimbursed as medical treatments,” he said.
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Ghanem added that body composition analyzers, like DEXA scans, will likely be more widely used as awareness grows about the limitations of BMI and weight in assessing obesity.
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