Direct costs of sleep disturbances due to shift work are much more difficult to estimate since it is not a medical diagnosis in the usual sense. Most of these costs would fall in the category of indirect and related costs. The consensus favours the higher estimates. Implications For Insurers Individuals with sleep disorders are not as healthy as their counterparts who enjoy a good night's sleep. Sleep apnea is associated with obesity, smoking, diabetes, and alcoholism.
Insomnia increases the risk of psychiatric disorders along with alcohol and drug abuse.
Shift work increases the risk of ischemic heart disease. This may be due in part to the social isolation that shift workers feel because their day is out of synch with everyone else's. Poor sleep from any cause makes that individual more accident prone. These accidents frequently involve innocent bystanders. Poor sleep from any cause triggers symptoms that may result in that individual seeking medical attention.