Working in shifts and frequent shift changes are quite common in today's globalised business scenario, more so with the advent of business process outsourcing, especially here in India where call centers have sprung up in huge numbers.

If you regularly switch between day and night work, it could be harming your health. A study of oil-rig workers found that alternating weekly shifts put the blood's levels of sleep-regulating melatonin out of sync: the men were drowsier at work and had heightened levels of fatty acids in their blood after meals, raising their risk of heart disease and diabetes.