Shift Work and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk

Relationship Between Shift Work and OSA

Shift work has been associated with an increased risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and other cardiometabolic issues that are known risk factors for OSA, according to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 1, 4
Shift work disorder is characterized by clinically significant disturbances in sleep, fatigue, and/or circadian alignment that cannot be attributed to other causes, as defined by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2

Disruption of normal sleep-wake cycles leads to circadian misalignment, which may affect upper airway muscle tone during sleep, as reported by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 1, 2
Shift work promotes weight gain and metabolic disturbances that increase OSA risk, according to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 4, 5

Inadequately treated OSA has been identified as a contributor to major transportation accidents, as noted by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 1, 3

The American Thoracic Society recommends better education regarding the impact of shift work on sleep quality and the association with workplace injuries, as stated in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 1, 6
Healthcare providers should screen shift workers for OSA symptoms, particularly those with excessive daytime sleepiness, according to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 1, 2
The American College of Cardiology is not mentioned, however, regular cardiovascular monitoring is necessary for shift workers with OSA due to their potentially increased cardiovascular risk, as recommended by other guidelines, but in this case by Praxis Medical Insights 7