Cognitive Impairments during the Transition to Working at Night and on Subsequent Night Shifts

Fifteen healthy adults experienced decreased cognitive performance during night shifts compared to daytime work.

• Subjective sleepiness increased and clear-headedness decreased during night-shift work.
• Performance on the Psychomotor Vigilance Task was negatively affected, with slower reaction times and more attentional lapses.
• The Stroop color word task showed a decrease in correct responses and slower median reaction times during night shifts.
• Calculation addition performance declined, with fewer attempts and correct answers noted during night work.
• Limited evidence was found for adaptation in sleepiness, clear-headedness, or performance across consecutive nights of simulated night shifts.

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