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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
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Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Sleep duration and efficiency predict heart rate variability during work hours in intensive care unit nurses
Aoi Kono1, Natsuki Nakayama1, Megumi Yokoyama2
1Nursing Sciences, Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Nagoya Journal of Medical Science
|August 6, 2026
Summary
Poor sleep quality and short sleep duration in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are linked to reduced parasympathetic nervous activity during work hours. This highlights the importance of sleep for autonomic function in high-stress professions.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Occupational Health
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses face demanding work hours.
- Subjective sleep quality is crucial for healthcare professionals' well-being.
- Parasympathetic nervous activity, assessed via heart rate variability (HRV), reflects autonomic function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between subjective sleep quality components and parasympathetic nervous activity in ICU nurses.
- To identify specific sleep quality aspects impacting autonomic function during work.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality components.
- Measured heart rate variability (HRV) using Holter monitors, focusing on high-frequency power (HF) as a parasympathetic index.
- Employed Kruskal-Wallis tests and Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc analyses, controlling for age, energy expenditure, and step count.
Main Results:
- Short sleep duration was associated with significantly lower adjusted high-frequency power (parasympathetic activity).
- Moderate habitual sleep efficiency correlated with lower raw and adjusted high-frequency power compared to optimal efficiency.
- Poor sleep efficiency and short sleep duration were linked to reduced parasympathetic nervous activity.
Conclusions:
- Reduced parasympathetic nervous activity in ICU nurses during work hours is associated with poor sleep efficiency and short sleep duration.
- Maintaining adequate sleep duration and efficiency may be vital for preserving autonomic function in high-stress nursing roles.
- Findings underscore the physiological impact of sleep disturbances on critical care nurses.
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