I've been messing around with my old emails then I found this

Surviving the call center

“O sleep! O gentle sleep! Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down.” — William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Henry IV, Part 2 (1600) act 3, sc.1

By Dr. Jose Pujalte Jr.

DO you work in a call center? This is for you.

First, the good news. You’ve probably been hired not just for your faux North American accent, facility of speech or patience. More than those qualities, you’re working there because you’re young and physically resilient.

Second, the bad news. If you’ve been getting graveyard shifts for the longest time and if you haven’t called in sick, you will. The body can take only so much abuse. And you’re no Superman (or Wonder Woman) who can’t be bothered with the common cold, a sore throat or even the flu. In fact, if you are getting these often enough and you see everyone around you with the same sickness, you might even think it’s normal. It’s not.

Now one of the main causes of chronic sickness is deranged sleep. This means several things: You may be suffering from lack of sleep, interrupted sleep, delayed sleep, inability to sleep, and restless sleep. The immune system of the body takes a hit in sleep disorders. With impaired body defenses, getting sick is just a matter of time.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder. The body has an "internal clock" that regulates a 24-hour cycle of biological processes – from changes in body temperature, to the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, to digestion, to growth and healing of tissues and organs. "Circadian" is from the Latin "around the day," and disrupting the circadian rhythm leads to a malfunction of the internal body clock. This means, among other things, messing with the normal pattern of wanting to sleep when it is already dark.

Results of Less Sleep. According to the US National Sleep Foundation, adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep every day. But for sleep to be restorative, it must also follow the internal body clock that signals sleeping at night and being awake in the daytime. This is one reason that some call center workers who are up all night still have difficulty sleeping in the day. Now the sleep-deprived think and move more slowly, have problems remembering things, make more mistakes in doing chores, and are prone to irritability, anxiety, impatience, and depression. Call center workers on night shift suffer stomach problems like indigestion and heartburn, menstrual irregularities, colds, flu, and weight gain compared to day workers. In the long term, it is more likely for shift workers to get heart disease and hypertension.

Safety for the Sleep-Deprived. Drowsiness in the daytime (after the night shift) is common. This will certainly have an impact on activities that require alertness. In going home, it’s better not to drive. Instead, take public transportation or join a carpool. But if you must drive, drive defensively. If you are too fatigued, and if the call center has sleeping quarters, take a nap before going home.

How to Sleep Better. At home, make sleep a priority. Many adjustments can be done around the fact of night shift work. For example, make the bedroom as dark as possible to simulate night time. Minimize noise by asking house mates to turn down TV and radio volume. It helps to take a warm bath and lowering room temperature. To hasten sleep, do not make the brain work by solving crossword puzzles, reading a spy novel, or answering e-mail. For some, blocking out sensory stimulation means using earplugs and wearing an eye mask or shade. It makes sense to avoid caffeine, cola drinks, and other stimulants. Alcohol disturbs the sleeping cycle and you may wake up more tired than rested. A light snack before sleep helps in relaxation, too. Finally, exercise near bedtime will raise the body temperature and delay rest even more.

Chronic sleep loss or sleep disruption will make you age faster than you can say "dried prune." Even if you are young, take steps to protect your health before the body breaks down. Don’t ignore deepening fatigue – yawning, frequent blinking because of dry eyes or red eyes, slower movement, daytime drowsiness– all signs of a perilous "low batt" life.

Don’t be a casualty of global interaction.

Dr. Pujalte is an orthopedic surgeon. E-mail at jsp@pldtdsl.net