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Restorative Effect of Nighttime Naps on Brain Functional Organisation and Memory in Night Shift Nurses
Jia-Hui Lin1, Jing-Yi Zeng1, Hui-Wei Huang1
1Department of Radiology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
Journal of Sleep Research
|June 22, 2025
Summary
Nighttime naps (NNAP) can help restore brain function and memory in nurses suffering from sleep deprivation (SD) due to shift work. This study shows NNAP improves cognitive performance and brain network organization after demanding shifts.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Shift work is prevalent among nurses, leading to sleep deprivation (SD).
- SD negatively impacts cognitive function and brain organization.
- Nighttime naps (NNAP) are a potential intervention to mitigate these effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the restorative effects of NNAP on brain functional organization and memory in nurses experiencing night shift-related SD.
- To assess how NNAP impacts functional connectivity density (FCD) and cognitive performance.
Main Methods:
- 24 nurses underwent resting-state fMRI scans at three time points: rested wakefulness (RW), after 24h of SD, and after SD with NNAP.
- Cognitive function was assessed using the Complex Figure Test (CFT) and California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT).
- Functional connectivity density (FCD) was calculated and analyzed using voxel-wise paired t tests.
Main Results:
- NNAP improved performance on both CFT and CVLT-II compared to SD.
- SD disrupted whole-brain FCD, particularly in cognition, sensory, motor, and auditory areas, as well as the thalamus.
- NNAP partially restored FCD in cognition-related regions, sensory/motor areas, and the thalamus.
- Improved memory performance correlated with FCD changes between SD and NNAP states.
Conclusions:
- NNAP can help restore brain functional organization disrupted by SD in nurses.
- Nighttime naps may be a beneficial strategy to improve memory and cognitive function in nurses working night shifts.
- This research highlights the importance of sleep recovery strategies for shift workers' cognitive health.
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