Cardiovascular and Self-Reported Recovery in Two-Shift Systems

Abstract. Recovery is necessary to maintain workers’ health and efficiency. Shift work has been associated with delayed recovery processes. The objective of this study was to examine the cardiovascular and self-reported recovery measures of German shift and day workers in the hotel and catering industry. Furthermore, it aimed to clarify to what extent shift groups differentiate given additional factors that influence recovery (ability to relax, lifestyle). The sample group consisted of 64 alternative shift workers (two-shift system with a low proportion of night work) and 96-day workers employed in the hotel and catering industry. Blood pressure monitoring was conducted for 24 hr during a working day, including the phases of work, leisure, and sleep, to assess cardiovascular reduction during leisure and sleep. The blood pressure status was measured over the course of a 4-day self-assessment period. Self-reported measures, including quality of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), work-life balance (WPC), ability to relax (FABA), and lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking, drinking), were assessed through questionnaires. Sixty-one participants (36%) were hypertensives. There were no significant effects of cardiovascular recovery regarding the reduction of blood pressure for the calculated differences between WORK – LEISURE, WORK – SLEEP, and LEISURE – SLEEP among shift and day workers. Shift workers reported a significantly less favorable work-life balance ( p = .017), a decreased ability to relax ( p = .001), and less regular physical activity ( p = .003). The workload within the two-shift system of the hotel and catering industry seems to have a lesser effect on cardiovascular means than on self-reported measures of recovery. The decisive factor is the ability to relax, which means psychological detachment from work. To enable a comprehensive recovery, an optimally designed recovery cycle is necessary for shift systems.