Night-shift work is associated with several job-related health risks such as insomnia, fatigue, digestive disorders, high blood pressure, and diabetes, which in turn mean an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. There is strong evidence that primary preventive measures such as physical exercise programmes are effective in increasing physical activity, and in consequence help reduce musculoskeletal and cardiovascular disease. However, evidence of the effectiveness of measures aiming to reduce health risks incurred by night-shift work is inconclusive because occupational studies carried out so far were often of low quality. The knowledge of the effectiveness of intervention is necessary to develop adequate measures tailored to shift-workers’ needs.
