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Night Shift Stress: Evaluating Heart Rate Variability as a Marker in Security Guards.
Shouray Dey1, A V Vinay1, R Sindhu1
1Department of Physiology, Manipal Tata Medical College, Jamshedpur, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|April 25, 2025
Summary
Night shifts significantly increase stress in security guards, indicated by changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and autonomic nervous system imbalance. Monitoring HRV is crucial for managing occupational stress and promoting worker well-being.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Autonomic Nervous System Physiology
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Night shift work disrupts circadian rhythms, leading to health issues like increased stress.
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a potential indicator of autonomic nervous system (ANS) stress response.
- Limited research exists on HRV as a stress indicator for night-shift security guards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of night shift work on the autonomic nervous system of security guards.
- To assess the utility of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as a stress biomarker in this population.
Main Methods:
- Observational study with 50 security guards.
- Collected demographic and anthropometric data.
- Measured HRV before and after a one-week night shift schedule using paired t-tests.
Main Results:
- Significant increase in mean heart rate and decrease in mean RR interval post-shift.
- Elevated LF/HF ratio and VLF values, with decreased HF values observed.
- Indicated a shift towards sympathetic nervous system predominance and sympathovagal imbalance.
Conclusions:
- Night shift duty induces significant physiological stress in security guards.
- HRV parameters demonstrate a clear shift in autonomic balance, confirming stress.
- Recommends stress monitoring and management to safeguard worker health and well-being.
