Serotonin variations and sleep disorders among shift workers. A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Neuroscience
• Nursing Research

Background:

• Sleep disorders are a significant occupational health concern for shift workers, especially nurses facing long working hours.
• Serotonin, a key neurotransmitter, exhibits circadian variations influenced by shift work patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess sleep quality in shift work nurses (SWNs).
• To determine blood serotonin levels in SWNs.
• To investigate the relationship between shift work, serotonin levels, and sleep quality.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 73 nurses in Cairo, Egypt.
• Utilized demographic and occupational history questionnaires, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and blood serotonin level measurements.
• Data analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-square, Spearman correlation, and multivariate regression.

Main Results:

• Shift work nurses (SWNs) exhibited significantly poorer sleep quality (higher PSQI scores) compared to non-shift work nurses (NSWNs).
• Rotating and fixed night shift nurses reported the highest sleep disturbances.
• Blood serotonin levels were significantly lower in SWNs, particularly those on rotating and fixed night shifts (66.7% and 65%, respectively).
• Poor sleep quality was strongly associated with low serotonin levels (62.7% of poor sleepers had low serotonin).
• Abnormal serotonin levels (odds=246.5) and extended working years (odds=1.2) were significant predictors of poor sleep quality.

Conclusions:

• Shift work, especially rotating and night shifts, is linked to diminished sleep quality among nurses.
• Abnormal blood serotonin levels are prevalent in nurses experiencing poor sleep quality due to shift work.
• Findings underscore the need for interventions addressing sleep quality and serotonin regulation in shift-working nurses.