Night Shift
Working night shifts takes a toll on one's health, but a recent intervention may help nurses better adjust to their changing schedules.
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Jobs like nursing, truck driving, emergency dispatching, and hotel security demand night shifts that disrupt the typical rhythm of life. For some, this means working five nights a week; for others, unpredictable on-call schedules stretch far beyond the hours when most people are awake, pushing the limits of physical and mental endurance.
Working schedules outside the typical 9-to-5 can have significant health consequences. Because people have different natural rhythms—some more suited to nights, others to mornings—disrupting an individual’s circadian rhythm can lead to an increased risk of mental health disorders, cognitive impairments, chronic diseases, and even higher mortality rates.
Marieve Cyr and colleagues tested an intervention to help night shift nurses with rotating shifts to adjust their sleep patterns using light treatment. Nurses in the experimental group followed a structured plan: before their first night shift, they stayed up later to begin adjusting to the night schedule. During shifts, they used bright light boxes to stay alert, and after work, they wore eye masks and dark sunglasses to block sunlight and sleep better during the day. After their final night shift, they gradually transitioned back to a daytime schedule, adapting the process to their individual routines.
The comparison group of participants received advice on meal and snack timing, like eating a full meal before night shifts and a low-protein breakfast in the morning.
Both groups experienced some reduction in staff fatigue ratings during the experiment, but the experimental group saw greater improvements, especially on workdays. Individuals in the experimental group also reported improved mood, both during work and on their off-days. There are obvious limits to this preliminary work, including whether less fatigue produced better nursing performance.
Cyr and colleagues emphasize that while this intervention shows promise—and needs replication—it might be used alongside other workplace improvements such as increasing staff numbers to reduce workload stress and creating more flexible shift schedules that allow for adequate rest between shifts. The research team also highlights the need for further research to determine whether the intervention leads to lasting improvements in health outcomes.
