Coping with shift work-related circadian disruption: A mixed-methods case study on napping and caffeine use in Australian nurses and midwives

May 17, 2018Chronobiology international

How Napping and Caffeine Help Australian Nurses and Midwives Manage Disrupted Body Clocks from Shift Work

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Nearly 70% of shift-working nurses reported napping as a fatigue countermeasure.

Participants who napped during night shifts had significantly less total sleep time before and between days off.
On average, nappers experienced significantly fewer hours of wakefulness by the end of their night shift compared to non-nappers.
The percentage of high caffeine consumers among participants increased from 15% to 33% since starting shift work.
An average of 4 caffeinated beverages per day was reported, with higher caffeine consumption linked to greater sleep disturbance and psychological distress.
Interviews confirmed caffeine was commonly consumed during night shifts, while napping was influenced by the ability to sleep during the day.

AI simplified

INTRODUCTION: Two of the most ubiquitous fatigue countermeasures used by shift-working nurses are napping and caffeine. This mixed-methods case study investigated the ways nurses and midwives utilised napping and caffeine countermeasures to cope with shift work, and associated sleep, physical health and psychological health outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: N = 130 Australian shift-working nurses and midwives (mean age = 44 years, range = 21-67, 115F, 15M) completed the Standard Shiftwork Index. A sub-set of 22 nurses and midwives completed an in-depth interview.

RESULTS: Nearly 70% of participants reported napping. Those who napped during night shifts had significantly less total sleep time before (F = 5.5, p < 0.01) and between days off (F = 3.9, p < 0.05). By the end of the night shift, average hours of time awake were significantly less for prophylactic and on-shift nappers compared to non-nappers (F = 97.2, p < 0.001). Since starting shift work, the percentage of high caffeine consumers (>400 mg/day) increased from 15% to 33% of the sample and an average of 4 (SD = 2) caffeinated beverages per day was reported. Increased caffeine consumption was associated with greater sleep disturbance (r = 0.26, p < 0.05), psychological distress (r = 0.37, p < 0.001), abdomen pain (r = 0.27, p < 0.05) and weight gain since starting shift work (r = 0.25, p < 0.05). Interviews confirmed these relationships and revealed that caffeine consumption on night shift was common, whereas napping on night shift was dependent on a number of factors including ability to sleep during the day. 2,75 2,82 2,85

CONCLUSION: This study identified reasons shift workers chose to engage in or abstain from napping and consuming caffeine, and how these strategies related to poor sleep and health outcomes. Further research is required to help develop recommendations for shift workers regarding napping and caffeine consumption as fatigue countermeasures, whilst taking into account the associated hazards of each strategy.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text ↗

Coping with shift work-related circadian disruption: A mixed-methods case study on napping and caffeine use in Australian nurses and midwives

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief