The high cost of this small brochure surely deters shiftworkers from buying it on their own. Even the bulk rate may not be low enough to entice employers to order large quantities. Perhaps it simply is a promotional tool for Circadian Technologies, Inc., the shiftwork consulting firm the author founded and directs. He starts by pointing out that body temperature falls at night, whether or not you sleep. At daily lows, he explains, waves of sleepiness wash over you at intervals, your head feels heavy, you don't feel hungry, your reaction time becomes much slower than normal, and your memory is not as sharp.
Careless errors tend to occur, sometimes with grave consequences.
You may miss things you would normally respond to. The high risk times, he says, are between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., your first 2 night shifts after working days or several days off, early hours of the day shift, near the end of your shift, when activity levels are high in your work area, and driving home after the night shift.