CrossTalk proposal: Insufficient sleep is responsible for increased risk of metabolic disease in shift workers.

Approximately 20% of the US workforce is estimated to work evening, night, or rotating shifts (i.e. “nonstandard” work hours). Shift workers have a higher risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disease compared with people who work day shifts(Anothaisintawee et al. 2016; Vetter et al. 2018), and shift work has been linked to numerous components of the metabolic syndrome, including central obesity, insulin resistance, abnormal lipid profiles(Ghiasvand et al. 2006; Karlsson, Knutsson, and Lindahl 2001), lower high-density lipoprotein(Karlsson, Knutsson, and Lindahl 2001) and elevated blood pressure(Makarem et al. 2021). It has been proposed that lifestyle factors are the culprits behind the increased risk of cardiometabolic disease in this population; however, insufficient sleep is associated with an elevated risk for developing metabolic diseases and is commonly experienced by shift workers. This CrossTalk argues that insufficient sleep is primarily responsible for the increased risk of metabolic disease in shift workers.