Night shift workers are at a higher risk for disorders like diabetes and obesity. Preliminary research from scientists at Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) may explain why. The study shows that just a few days on the night shift can impact the body’s ability to regulate glucose.

The scientists brought 14 participants into a sleep lab and simulated a day shift for one group and a night shift for the other group. Afterwards, participants were kept awake for a day under laboratory conditions where the lighting, their posture, and their food intake were kept regular in order to make sure their circadian rhythms weren’t disturbed by anything else. During this time, the researchers collected blood samples every two to three hours from the participants and analyzed them.

Big changes in protein rhythms

The researchers found 48% of the proteins observed had changed rhythms after the simulated night shift. They also found that the processes that ensure glucose stays within healthy levels were no longer synchronized for night shift participants.

“What we showed is that we can really see a difference in molecular patterns between volunteers with normal schedules and those with schedules that are misaligned with their biological clock,” said Jason McDermott, a computational scientist with PNNL’s Biological Sciences Division. “The effects of this misalignment had not yet been characterized at this molecular level and in this controlled manner before.”

However, the study has a small sample size, and the researchers note that more studies are needed. Going forward, they plan to study night shift workers in the real world to see if the results hold outside of a laboratory.