Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cardiovascular recovery after workload in German shift workers in the hotel and catering industry: results of 24-hour-ambulatory monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Shift work is associated with an impairment of sleep–wake cycles that can affect cardiovascular recovery (CR) negatively. The aim of this study was to examine CR of shift and day workers in the hotel and catering industry (HCI) and identify predictors of CR.

Methods

The sample consisted of 64 alternating and 96 day workers in the HCI. Monitoring of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) was conducted for 24 hours per working day during work, leisure and sleep. The CR process was examined for differences between work and leisure, work and sleep regarding a reduction in BP and HR. Lifestyle (physical activity, smoking, drinking) was assessed through questionnaires, BP over a four-day, self-assessment period (38% hypertensives). Participants taking BP medication (n = 12) were excluded from analyses.

Results

Shift workers had significantly higher BP (Ø 146/87 vs. Ø 140/84 mmHg; p = 0.034–0.044) and HR (Ø 86 vs. 82 bpm; p = 0.032) during their work phase verses day workers. There were no differences found for the CR between work and leisure nor work and sleep. As predictors of the CR, classic cardiovascular indicators (blood pressure status, smoking, age, physical activity, sex) were found which explains between 14% (HR) and 30% (BP) of the variance. Shift work was not a predictor for CR.

Conclusions

Employees in the HCI show that their CR is mainly determined by the known cardiovascular indicators and less by shift work. This effect needs to be discussed in relation to the job requirements and the cardiovascular health of the employees.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CR:

Cardiovascular recovery

HCI:

Hotel and catering industry

BP:

Blood pressure

HR:

Heart rate

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

mmHg:

Millimeters of mercury

bpm:

Beats per minute

WMA:

World medical association

References

  • Arlinghaus A, Nachreiner F (2016) Unusial and unsocial? Effects of shift work and other unusual working times on social participation. In: Iskra-Golec I, Barnes-Farrell J, Bohle P (eds) Social and family issues in shift work and non standard working hours. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp 38–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42286-2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Baeck U, Deutsch M, Kramer N (2014) Arbeitszeitgesetz: Kommentar. Gelbe Erläuterungsbücher, 3rd edn. C.H. Beck, Munich

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton J, Spelten E, Totterdell P, Smith L, Folkard S, Costa G (1995) The Standard Shiftwork Index: a battery of questionnaires for assessing shiftwork-related problems. Work Stress 9(1):4–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beermann B (2010) Nacht- und Schichtarbeit. In: Badura B, Schröder H, Klose J, Macco K (eds) Fehlzeiten-Report 2009. Arbeit und Psyche: Belastungen reduzieren - Wohlbefinden fördern. Zahlen, Daten, Analysen aus allen Branchen der Wirtschaft. Springer, Berlin, pp 71–78

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Birkenhäger AM, van den Meiracker AH (2007) Causes and consequences of a non-dipping blood pressure profile. Neth J Med 65:127–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung-BIBB (2014) Qualifikationsstruktur und Erwerbstätigkeit im Gastgewerbe. Wissenschaftliche Diskussionspapiere. BIBB, Bonn

    Google Scholar 

  • Bushnell PT, Colombi A, Caruso CC, Tak S (2010) Work schedules and health behavior outcomes at a large manufacturer. Ind Health 48:395–405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa G (2010) Shift work and health: current problems and preventive actions. Saf Health Work 1:112–123. https://doi.org/10.5491/SHAW.2010.1.2.112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa G (2016) Introduction to problems of shift work. In: Iskra-Golec I, Barnes-Farrell J, Bohle P (eds) Social and family issues in shift work and non standard working hours. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42286-2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • De Bloom J, Kompier M, Geurts S, de Weerth C, Taris T, Sonnentag S (2009) Do we recover from vacation? Meta-analysis of vacation effects on health and well-being. J Occup Health 51:13–25. https://doi.org/10.1539/joh.K8004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demerouti E, Bakker AB, Geurts AEG, Taris TW (2009) Daily recovery from work-related effort during non-work time. In: Sonnentag S, Perrewé PL, Ganster DC (eds) Current perspectives on job-stress recovery: research in occupational stress and well being. JAI Press, Bingley, pp 85–123

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststättenverband e.V. (DEHOGA Bundesverband) (2015) Wirtschaftskraft und Jobmotor: Zahlen, Daten, Fakten. DEHOGA, Berlin

  • European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) (2012) 5th European working conditions survey: (overview report). Eurofound (u.a.), Dublin

  • European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) (2014) Accommodation sector: working conditions and job quality. Eurofound, Dublin

  • Faraut B, Bayon V, Léger D (2013) Neuroendocrine, immune and oxidative stress in shift workers. Sleep Med Rev 17:433–444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2012.12.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finger JD, Mensink GBM, Lange C, Manz K (2017) Gesundheitsfördernde körperliche Aktivität in der Freizeit bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland. J Health Monit 2:37–44. https://doi.org/10.17886/RKI-GBE-2017-027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geurts SA, Sonnentag S (2006) Recovery as an explanatory mechanism in the relation between acute stress reactions and chronic health impairment. Scand J Work Environ Health 32:482–492. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halbesleben JRB (ed) (2008) Handbook of stress and burnout in health care. Nova Science Publishers, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Härmä M (2006) Workhours in relation to work stress, recovery and health. Scand J Work Environ Health 32:502–514. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haus EL, Smolensky MH (2013) Shift work and cancer risk: potential mechanistic roles of circadian disruption, light at night, and sleep deprivation. Sleep Med Rev 17:273–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2012.08.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heffernan T (2016) Editorial: the impact of active and passive smoking upon health and neurocognitive function. Front Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB) (2013) IAB-Kurzbericht Nr. 21. IAB, Nürnberg

    Google Scholar 

  • International Labour Organization (1990) Night work convention. C171. ILO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Kecklund G, Axelsson J (2016) Health consequences of shift work and insufficient sleep. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i5210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kivimäki M, Kuisma P, Virtanen M, Elovainio M (2001) Does shift work lead to poorer health habits? A comparison between women who had always done shift work with those who had never done shift work. Work Stress 15:3–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370118685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kivimäki M, Virtanen M, Elovainio M et al (2006) Work stress in the etiology of coronary heart disease—a meta-analysis. Scand J Work Environ Health 32:431–442. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.1049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krug S, Jordan S, Mensink GBM, Müters S, Finger J, Lampert T (2013) Körperliche Aktivität: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1). Bundesgesundheitsbla 56:765–771. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-012-1661-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lajoie P, Aronson KJ, Day A, Tranmer J (2015) A cross-sectional study of shift work, sleep quality and cardiometabolic risk in female hospital employees. BMJ Open 5:e007327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lampert T, von der Lippe E, Müters S (2013) Verbreitung des Rauchens in der Erwachsenenbevölkerung in Deutschland: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1). Bundesgesundheitsbla 56:802–808. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-013-1698-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemmer B (2006) Importance of circadian rhythms for regulation of the cardiovascular system-studies in animal and man. In: 28th annual international conference of the IEEE engineering in medicine and biology society. EMBS’06. pp 168–170

  • Maack K, Hadwiger F (2013) Die Zukunft des Gastgewerbes Beschäftigungsperspektiven im deutschen Gastgewerbe. Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Düsseldorf

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen BS (1998) Stress, adaptation, and disease: allostasis and allostatic load. Ann N Y Acad Sci 840:33–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neuhauser H, Thamm M, Ellert U (2013) Blutdruck in Deutschland 2008–2011: Ergebnisse der Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland (DEGS1). Bundesgesundheitsbla 56:795–801. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-013-1669-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien E, Parati G, Stergiou G et al (2013) European Society of Hypertension position paper on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. J Hypertens 31:1731–1768. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0b013e328363e964

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohkubo T, Hozawa A, Yamaguchi J et al (2002) Prognostic significance of the nocturnal decline in blood pressure in individuals with and without high 24-h blood pressure: the Ohasama study. J Hypertens 20:2183–2189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paridon H, Ernst S, Harth V et al (2012) Schichtarbeit-Rechtslage, gesundheitliche Risiken und Präventionsmöglichkeiten (DGUV Report 1/2012). DGUV, Berlin

  • Pepłońska B, Burdelak W, Krysicka J et al (2014) Night shift work and modifiable lifestyle factors. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 27:693–706. https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-014-0298-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perloff D, Grim C, Flack J et al (1993) Human blood pressure determination by sphygmomanometry. Circulation 88:2460–2470. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.88.5.2460

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rau R (2011) Zur Wechselwirkung von Arbeit, Beanspruchung und Erholung. In: Bamberg E, Duckie A, Metz A-M (eds) Gesundheitsförderung und Gesundheitsmanagement in der Arbeitswelt: ein Handbuch. Hogrefe, Göttingen, pp 83–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Rau R, Buyken D (2015) Der aktuelle Kenntnisstand über Erkrankungsrisiken durch psychische Arbeitsbelastungen: Ein systematisches Review über Metaanalysen und Reviews. Z Arb Organ 59:113–129. https://doi.org/10.1026/0932-4089/a000186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rau R (2012) Erholung als Indikator für gesundheitsförderlich gestaltete Arbeit. In: Badura B, Ducki A, Schröder H et al (eds) Fehlzeiten-report 2012. Springer, Berlin, pp 181–190

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rehm J, Baliunas D, Borges GLG et al (2010) The relation between different dimensions of alcohol consumption and burden of disease: an overview. Addiction 105:817–843. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02899.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reik R (2011) Zielgruppenspezifische Betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung von produzierenden Schichtarbeitern: Förderung der körperlichen Aktivität, Beschreibung von Beschwerdebildern und Bewältigungsstrategien sowie des körperlichen Aktivitätsverhaltens von sozial Benachteiligten. Dissertation, Konstanzer Online-Publikationssystem (KOPS), Konstanz

  • Saksvik IB, Bjorvatn B, Hetland H et al (2011) Individual differences in tolerance to shift work? A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev 15:221–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2010.07.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seibt R, Spitzer S (2011) Shift work questionnaire for employees of the hotel and catering industry (unpublished). Technische Universität, Dresden

    Google Scholar 

  • Seibt R, Boucsein W, Scheuch K (1998) Effects of different stress settings on cardiovascular parameters and their relationship to daily life blood pressure in normotensives, borderline hypertensives and hypertensives. Ergonomics 41:634–648. https://doi.org/10.1080/001401398186801

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seibt R, Hunger B, Stieler L et al (2018) Early detection of undiagnosed hypertension based on occupational screening in the hotel and restaurant industry. Biomed Res Int 2018:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6820160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Semmer NK, Kottwitz MU (2011) Auswirkungen von Freizeit auf Gesundheit und Produktivität. Gutachten zuhanden des Bundesamts für Justiz. Universität Bern, Institut für Psychologie, Bern

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah D (2009) Healthy worker effect phenomenon. Indian J Occup Environ Med 13:77. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.55123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sonnentag S (2001) Work, recovery activities, and individual well-being: a diary study. J Occup Health Psychol 6:196–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonnentag S, Zijlstra FRH (2006) Job characteristics and off-job activities as predictors of need for recovery, well-being, and fatigue. J Appl Psychol 91:330–350. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.91.2.330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Statista (2009) http://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/495156/umfrage/berufsgruppen-mit-den-hoechsten-raucheranteilen-bei-maennern-in-deutschland/. Accessed 20 June 2017

  • U.S. Dep. of Health and Human Services (2014) The health consequences of smoking-50 years of progress. A report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, Atlanta

    Google Scholar 

  • van Amelsvoort LGPM, Schouten EG, Kok FJ (2004) Impact of 1 year of shift work on cardiovascular disease risk factors. J Occup Environ Med 46:699–706. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jom.0000131794.83723.45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vyas MV, Garg AX, Iansavichus AV et al (2012) Shift work and vascular events: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 345:e4800–e4800. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e4800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams C (2008) Work-life balance of shift workers. Perspect Labour Income 20:15

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization, Management of Substance Abuse Unit (2014a) Global status report on alcohol and health, 2014. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (2014b) Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2014: attaining the nine global noncommunicable diseases targets, a shared responsibility. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeom JH, Sim CS, Lee J et al (2017) Effect of shift work on hypertension: cross sectional study. Ann Occup Environ Med. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-017-0166-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeiher J, Kuntz B, Lange C (2017) Rauchen bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland. J Health Monit 2:59–65. https://doi.org/10.17886/RKI-GBE-2017-030

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

As a matter of legal succession, this work was funded by the Government Safety Organisation Foods and Restaurants in Mannheim.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Preventive Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, St.-Georg-Str. 108, 18055, Rostock, Germany

    Lisa Stieler, Steffi Kreuzfeld, Regina Stoll & Reingard Seibt

  2. Government Safety Organization Foods and Restaurants, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Foodstuff and Catering Industry, Office of Coordination Potsdam, Eleonore-Prochaska-Str. 11, 14480, Potsdam, Germany

    Bettina Hunger

  3. Department of Psychology, Technical University Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01069, Dresden, Germany

    Matthias Rudolf

  4. Center for Life Science Automation (CELISCA), Rostock University, F.-Barnewitz-Str. 8, 18119, Rostock, Germany

    Reingard Seibt

Authors
  1. Lisa Stieler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bettina Hunger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Matthias Rudolf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Steffi Kreuzfeld
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Regina Stoll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Reingard Seibt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa Stieler.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Ethical approval

This study was conducted in conformance with the guidelines of the World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki and the ethical principles of medical research involving human subjects amended by the 9th WMA General Assembly, Soul, Republic of Korea, October 2008. The Ethics Committee of the Technical University Dresden (EK 250397) approved the study and written informed consent was obtained from all participants included in this study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Stieler, L., Hunger, B., Rudolf, M. et al. Cardiovascular recovery after workload in German shift workers in the hotel and catering industry: results of 24-hour-ambulatory monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 92, 81–91 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1357-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1357-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation