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Updated: Jun 23, 2025
08:36
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
12.0K
Sleep duration and quality in permanent night work: an observational field study
Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen1,2, Ann Dyreborg Larsen3, Anne Emily Saunte Fiehn Arup3
1The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. knn@nfa.dk.
Summary
Permanent night work negatively impacts sleep quality and duration, with more consecutive shifts worsening outcomes. Limiting consecutive night shifts is advised to prevent sleep debt accumulation.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Sleep Medicine
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Permanent night workers may adapt better to circadian rhythms than shift workers.
- Understanding the impact of consecutive night shifts on sleep is crucial for worker well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of night shifts, including consecutive shifts, on sleep in permanent night workers.
- To compare sleep outcomes between permanent night workers and 3-shift workers.
- To examine if diurnal preference (morning/evening type) influences sleep adaptation to night work.
Main Methods:
- Actigraphy was used to assess total sleep time (TST), primary sleep duration (PSD), and sleep efficiency in 90 permanent night workers and 70 3-shift workers.
- Sleep quality and diurnal type were evaluated through self-report measures.
- Data were collected over 14 days for permanent night workers and 26 days for 3-shift workers.
Main Results:
- Permanent night workers experienced decreased TST, PSD, and increased sleep disturbances after night shifts.
- More consecutive night shifts were linked to shorter TST and PSD.
- No significant differences in sleep outcomes were found based on diurnal type.
Conclusions:
- Evidence does not support recommending permanent night work to mitigate adverse sleep effects.
- Limiting the number of consecutive night shifts is recommended to minimize sleep debt accumulation.
- Permanent night workers showed fewer awakenings compared to 3-shift workers, but other sleep parameters were similar.
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