BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a nap at work on the sleepiness of 12-hour, night-shift (registered and assistant) nursing personnel.
METHODS: Twelve nurses filled out daily logs, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KS), and wore wrist actigraphs for two periods of four continuous days.
RESULTS: Mean nap duration during the night shifts was 138.3 (SD+39.8) minutes. The mean sleepiness level assessed by the KS score was lower, 3.3 (SD卤1.6), when the nap was taken during the first span (00:01 - 03:00h) of the night shift, compared with 6.6 (SD卤1.0) when there was no nap. The mean sleepiness level assessed by the KS score was also lower, 3.6 (SD卤0.9), when the nap was taken during the second span (03:01 - 06:00h) of the night shift, compared with 7.0 (SD卤1.1) when there was no nap. Thus, napping either during the first or second part of the night shift reduces sleepiness of 12-hour, night-shift nursing personnel. Moreover, the mean duration of the first sleep episode after night work was longer in those who did not nap than in those who did.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that napping during the 12-hour, night-shift results in less sleepiness at work and less need for recovery sleep after work.
