Night shift research summary. Night shifts aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the valuable workers who choose to work them really do keep the country going. However, despite their importance, night shifts are still a complicated mix of upsides and downsides, including night shift effects on health.
If you’re a nightshift or potential nightshift worker who wants to know more about the psychological effects of working a night shift, you’re in luck. This article will dive into all of the latest night shift insights. According to our research:
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There are roughly 15 million night shift workers in the US
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7.4% of American workers are night shifters.
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Night shift workers have a 40% increased chance of experiencing depression and anxiety.
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Those who’ve worked night shifts for over 10 years are at a 37% increased risk of coronary heart disease when compared to daytime workers.
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The average night shift in the US pays $16.06 per hour.
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Only 3% of Americans are at work at 2 AM, compared to 69% at 2 PM.
Share of Americans employed at their primary job by the hour
| Hour | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| 12 AM | 5% |
| 1 AM | 4% |
| 2 AM | 3% |
| 3 AM | 3% |
| 4 PM | 5% |
| 5 AM | 7% |
| 6 AM | 14% |
| 7 AM | 29% |
| 8 AM | 52% |
| 9 AM | 66% |
| 10 AM | 70% |
| 11 AM | 71% |
| 12 PM | 54% |
| 1 PM | 63% |
| 2 PM | 69% |
| 3 PM | 65% |
| 4 PM | 55% |
| 5 PM | 35% |
| 6 PM | 21% |
| 7 PM | 16% |
| 8 PM | 13% |
| 9 PM | 12% |
| 10 PM | 9% |
| 11 PM | 7% |
Night shift workers by industry, location, and race/ethnicity
Who works the night shift, how many people work it, and what those workers get paid is impacted by many factors. From industry and location to the demographics of the workers, here are some essential facts about the night shift:
Top 10 cities by share of night shift workers
| City | Share of night shift workers |
|---|---|
| Las Vegas, NV | 16.53% |
| San Bernardino, CA | 16.17% |
| Augusta, GA | 15.64% |
| Reno, NV | 15.62% |
| Toledo, OH | 15.60% |
| Stockton, CA | 15.31% |
| Lancaster, PA | 14.30% |
| Louisville, KY | 14.19% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 14.02% |
| Greensboro, NC | 13.97% |
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Las Vegas has a higher percentage of night shift workers than any other city, at 16.53%.
The top 5 cities in the US by share of night shift workers include San Bernardino, CA (16.17%), Augusta, GA (15.64%), Reno, NV (15.64%), and Toledo, OH (15.60%).
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Los Angeles has the most night shift workers in the US, at over 263,100.
Despite being only the 43rd city by share of night shift workers, Los Angeles’ large population means there are a lot of workers overall. The other top 3 cities by number of night shift workers include Chicago, IL (156,600), and San Bernardino, CA (129,100).
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Nevada has the highest proportion of night shift workers in the US, at 9.5%.
By contrast, Vermont has the lowest proportion, with only 3.8% of the workforce being night shifters.
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The Transportation and utilities industry has the highest proportion of night shift workers, at 6.3%.
Others among the top 3 industries by the proportion of night shift workers include the Manufacturing and Wholesale and retail trade industries, at 5.7% and 5.1%, respectively.
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The Information industry has the smallest proportion of night shift workers, at only 0.3%.
Very few people who work in Information have to take on night shifts, with it being the only industry where less than 1% of workers are night shifters.
Share of night shift workers by industry
Industry Share of night shift workers Transportation and utilities 6.3% Manufacturing 5.7% Wholesale and retail trade 5.1% Education and health services 4.3% Public administration 4.2% Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 2.9% Leisure and hospitality 2.6% Other services 2.0% Construction 1.3% Financial activities 1.3% Professional and business services 1.1% Information 0.3% -
Those working in Protective Service are most likely to work night shifts, with 26% at work at 11 PM.
Over a quarter of Protective Service workers are working in the late hours of the evening. Other positions where night shifters are common include Healthcare Support (16% working at 11 PM), and Production (13%).
Top 5 jobs by share of night shift workers
Position 11 PM 12 AM 1 AM 2 AM 3 AM Protective Service 26% 23% 20% 17% 19% Healthcare Support 16% 10% 10% 10% 11% Production 13% 11% 10% 8% 8% Transportation 11% 8% 8% 7% 7% Healthcare Practitioners & Technical 10% 8% 6% 7% 7% -
64.1% of night shift managers are White.
This lines up fairly closely with the share of overall Americans who are white. However, even though over 13% of the population is Black, only 8.6% are night shift managers.
Share of night shift workers by race/ethnicity
Race/ethnicity Share of night shift managers White 64.1% Hispanic 11.4% Asian 9.6% Black 8.6% -
60.2% of night shift managers are men.
Men are statistically more likely to work a night shift than women, with only 39.8% of all night shift managers being women.
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Those between 15-24 years old are most likely to work the night shift, with 5.6% of workers in that age range doing so.
On the other hand, those 55-64 years old are the least likely to work at night shift, with only 2.4% of workers in that age demographic doing so.
Share of night shift workers by age
Age range Share of night shift workers 15-24 5.6% 25-34 3.8% 35-44 3.1% 45-54 3.3% 55-64 2.4% 65+ 3.3% -
Only 2.7% of workers worked night shifts full time in 1985.
While today, anywhere between 5-10% of workers work night shifts full-time, showing a clear increase over the past almost 40 years.
Night Shift FAQ
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How unhealthy is working the night shift?
Working a night shift can be very unhealthy, especially for prolonged periods. For instance, those currently working night shifts are at a 22% increased risk of developing coronary heart disease, while those who’ve worked a night shift for 10 years are at a 37% increased risk.
Psychological effects are also important to consider, as night shifters have a 40% increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety.
For more risk factors, here is a comprehensive list of issues night shifters are more likely to suffer with:
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Stroke
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Metabolic disorders
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Insomnia
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Digestive problems
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What are the long-term effects of night shift work?
There are many long-term effects someone might experience from night shift work. Here are some of the most common effects outlined:
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Disruption of natural sleep rhythms
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Increased risk of breast cancer
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Anxiety and depression
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Inability to regulate weight, blood sugar, and insulin levels
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gastrointestinal problems (i.e., diarrhea and ulcers)
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Lack of vitamin D
While some of these risks may be mitigated through improved diet and supplements, many of them may still occur for those who’ve worked night shifts for a long period of time.
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Do you recover from working the night shift?
It may take at least 3 days to recover from working the night shift. This includes one sleeping day (12 hours), as well as a 48-hour period away from work.
Of course, this level of relaxation may not be possible for most night shift workers, so the next best way to recover from a night shift is to maintain healthy eating and sleeping habits. For example, getting 8 hours of sleep after a night shift and avoiding eating late in the evening can help.
Conclusion
Night shifters are an essential part of what keeps America running, but nobody said they have an easy job. The reality is that those currently working the night shift are 22% more likely to develop coronary heart disease, and 40% more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.
However, there are still at least 15 million Americans taking on these risks regularly, across a variety of industries and fields. Those in Transportation and utilities are the most likely to be working the night shift, with 6.3% of all workers in that field being night shifters.
Overall, night shifts usually come with incentives like increased pay and benefits, but you should be aware of the physical and physiological detriments of working a night shift. Ultimately, though, whether or not you choose to take on the graveyard shift is your decision.
References
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PMC – Effects of Factors Related to Shift Work on Depression and Anxiety in Nurses
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ESC – Night shift work is linked to increased risk of heart problems
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BLS – Careers for night owls and early birds
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BLS – Table 7. Workers by shift usually worked and selected characteristics, averages for the period
Author
Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.
