Key takeaways
- Shift work can make cancer treatment and recovery challenging, but there are steps you can take to support your health and wellbeing
- Talk to your employer to see if you can build some flexibility into your role or reduce your working hours
- People with cancer are protected by law and you have a right to reasonable adjustments that can help you continue to do your work
- Making sure you get quality sleep and eat nourishing food can help you to cope with the demands of shift work
Cancer treatment and recovery can make working or returning to work challenging. When your work involves shift patterns, these challenges – like coping with cancer-related fatigue and issues with memory and concentration – can be even more pronounced. This article offers guidance to help someone who does shift work manage their work and wellbeing.
Request reasonable adjustments
There are aspects of employment law that cover employees with cancer. In England, Scotland, and Wales, this is the Equality Act 2010 and in Northern Ireland, it is the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. These pieces of legislation class anyone with cancer as having a disability, meaning that they are protected from discrimination and unfair treatment.
These laws mean that your employer is required to make reasonable adjustments to your role and working environment so that you can continue working should you wish to. What these reasonable adjustments are will depend on the type of work you do and the size of the company you work for. If there is anything that you feel would make it easier for you to continue working shifts while navigating cancer treatment and recovery, speak to your employer. Reasonable adjustments might include:
- A phased return to work
- Changes to working hours
- Working from home
- Longer breaks
- Lighter duties
- Sharing responsibilities with a colleague
- Parking close to the office
- Specialist equipment
There are a number of things to consider regarding the environment in the workplace or for home working. The work area needs to be set up to support your needs, so it might need assessing and adapting. If you have mobility issues, it’s important to consider things like access to your workplace. If your job doesn’t allow you to work from home full time you will need to consider whether parking or transport is available to and from work. You might need to consider being closer to the bathroom if your continence has been affected. An occupational therapist can speak to your employer on your behalf or help you prepare for conversations, so it’s clear for both parties what the guidance is around making reasonable adjustments to support you in the workplace.
– Anna Howells, Occupational Therapist, Perci Health
Ask for flexibility
If you want to continue working during your cancer treatment but recognise that shift work might make that difficult, ask your employer for flexibility in your role and working hours. It might be helpful to set up a meeting so you can discuss the options available. Flexible working arrangements might include:
- Time off for appointments
- The option to work from home
- Core hours with the ability to complete remaining hours at any time
- Paid or unpaid leave
- Using accrued holiday
Not many people understand that a dietitian can help with cancer-related fatigue. Dietitians work with the whole person, taking into consideration whether you’ve gained or lost weight during treatment, your digestion and what a typical day looks like, including sleep, stress and physical activity. Then, of course, we’ll look at your diet and what changes we can make to support the fatigue.
Jo Cunningham, Registered Dietitian, Perci Health
Reduce your hours
After being diagnosed with cancer, it’s common to worry about your ability to work and, therefore, your financial security. Some people may want to continue working and some may find that they are no longer able to or that they need to take a step back to focus on their treatment.
Depending on your circumstances, it might be an option to reduce your working hours, even temporarily. Speak to your manager about the possibilities. For instance, you might be able to do shorter shifts or work fewer days each week. If you are concerned about how cancer might affect your income, there are charities and organisations, such as Macmillan, that can advise you on what financial support might be available.
Nourish your body
It can be hard to eat fresh, home-cooked meals when you work shifts, particularly when you work through the night and the times you would normally eat breakfast, lunch and dinner don’t align with your working hours. When you have cancer, it can be harder to eat due to a loss of appetite and side effects from treatment such as nausea or a change in your taste and sense of smell. However, fuelling your body with nourishing foods can help to reduce the symptoms of cancer-related fatigue and support recovery after treatment. Try to eat protein-rich foods and nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
Eating 30 or more different plant foods per week can give you a more diverse gut microbiome, and give you more energy. Plant foods include fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes for example, lentils and chickpeas, and herbs and spices. I know 30 plant foods sounds like a lot, but actually isn’t that difficult to do. Red, yellow, orange and green peppers count as four; mixed salad leaves have lots and olive oil counts!
Jo Cunningham, Registered Dietitian, Perci Health
Create a good sleeping environment
Cancer and cancer treatment can cause fatigue, and doing shift work might mean you feel even more exhausted. That’s why it’s really important to create an environment at home that promotes good sleep quality. By ensuring your body is well rested, you can be more prepared for shift work, especially if your shifts change regularly or you are working unsociable hours. To create a good sleeping environment:
- Make sure the room you are sleeping in is dark: Use heavy, lined curtains or a blackout blind to block out natural light from entering the room and turn off any electronic devices that have a light. An eye mask can also be useful.
- Reduce noise: Shut the door to block sound from other parts of the house. You can also wear earplugs if other people are at home and awake when you are sleeping. Put your phone on silent if you can, or if not, at least turn off notifications.
- Keep the room cool: If your room is too hot, it can make it more difficult to fall asleep and stay in a deep sleep. Before bedtime, try opening the windows to let trapped heat escape or use a quiet fan if the room is still too warm. In warmer months, try sleeping with a low-tog duvet or just a sheet.
Sleep is often one of the first things I explore with the people I work with as it can have such a huge impact on someone’s day-to-day life, and their ability to cope with cancer and its side effects. I’ll use my training to look at longer-term strategies to support their sleep, as well as implementing what’s known as ‘sleep hygiene’, which is all about creating an environment and routine that supports good sleep. I also help to support people to look at sleep in the context of their whole day. For some people, napping in the day will be problematic and impact their sleep quality at night. For others, I work to help them realise that having a sleep in the afternoon isn’t a failure; in fact it can be a great strategy if they are struggling with energy throughout the day.
Dr Lucy Davidson, Psychologist, Perci Health
Managing shift work while navigating cancer treatment and recovery may be challenging, but there is support available. Our Cancer Nurse Specialists are here to listen and provide guidance, as well as refer you to the Perci professionals who can support you physically, psychologically and practically.
While we have ensured that every article is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare professionals or your primary healthcare team.