Effects of a snack on performance and errors during a simulated 16-h night shift: A randomized, crossover-controlled,...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Human Performance
• Sleep Science

Background:

• Night shift work schedules often disrupt eating patterns.
• Food intake can impact cognitive performance and error rates during work shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of consuming a snack on performance and errors during simulated night shifts.
• To clarify the role of food intake in mitigating negative effects of shift work.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, repeated-measure, crossover study involving 15 healthy female adults.
• Participants underwent simulated night shifts (16:00–09:00) with and without a 352 kcal snack.
• Evaluated performance using the Uchida-Kraepelin test and psychomotor vigilance test, alongside subjective feelings, body temperature, and heart rate variability.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in sleep states, subjective sleepiness, fatigue, or body temperature between snack and skipping conditions.
• Significant improvement in false starts on the psychomotor vigilance test in the snack condition.
• Snack consumption was linked to physiological changes in heart rate variability, potentially indicating enhanced cognitive modulation.

Conclusions:

• Snacking during night shifts may improve cognitive performance, specifically reducing errors.
• Providing snacks to shift workers could enhance overall work safety and efficiency.