"Workers farm at night to avoid intense heat – but it can lead to other negative effects"

For years, Josana Pinto da Costa ventured out every morning on to the waterways lining Óbidos, Brazil, in a small fishing boat ...

Scorching temperatures have now made that routine unsafe. The heat has “been really intense” this year, said Pinto da Costa, forcing her to shift her working hours to the dead of night.

.... It’s taken a toll on her catch, and her wellbeing ...

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For Pinto da Costa and other Brazilian fishers, night-time work has brought additional hardship to a community already struggling with the impacts of climate change ...

Research shows that regularly working during the night is physically and mentally disruptive and can lead to long-term health complications. Night-time fishing threatens social and communal routines: A daytime sleep schedule can curb time spent with loved ones, as well as limit when wares can be sold or traded in local markets.

It’s also affecting their ability to support themselves and their families through a generations-old trade ...

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Workers in India, where there are roughly 260 million agricultural laborers, are projected to be among the most vulnerable ...

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Rebuking the human body’s circadian rhythms – that 24-hour internal clock that regulates when you sleep and wake – ramps up a person’s risk of health complications, such as cardiovascular disease and types of cancer, and diminishes the body’s ability to handle injury and stress. Working non-traditional hours also can reduce a person’s ability to socialize or participate in cultural, communal activities, which are associated with positive impacts on brain and body health.

Women are particularly vulnerable to the social and economic impacts of transitioning to night-time schedules. Despite making up nearly 45% of artisanal fishers in Brazil, women earn less than their male counterparts. When harvests decline with night-time fishing, their margins are even smaller. Night-time hours also clash with gendered family roles, such as caregiving ...

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