Table 1 Recommendations for the organisation of shift work [12, 13]

1.The number of consecutive night shifts should be as low as possible

2.A night shift phase should be followed by a recovery period as long as possible. In no case should it be less than 24 h

3.Blocked weekend breaks are better than single days off at weekends

4.Shift workers should have more days off per year than day workers

5.Unfavourable shift patterns should be avoided, i.e. always rotate forward

6.The early shift should not start too early

7.The night shift should end as early as possible

8.Rigid starting times should be avoided in favour of individual preferences

9.The concentration of working days or of working hours into one day should be limited

10.Shift schedules should be predictable and manageable