Shiftwork research has mainly focussed on the physiological and psychosocial health and sleep effects. Absent from the literature are studies focussing on the personal experience of the shiftworker and how workers mediate the effects of shiftwork and how shiftwork fits into the rest of their lives. Therefore, it is difficult to draw conclusions about how people ‘manage’ their shiftwork, and further research needs to be undertaken in this area.