Increased Infection Risk Linked to Sleep Debt and Night Shifts: Research
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Synopsis
A recent study highlights the correlation between sleep debt and night shifts with increased infection risks among healthcare workers. Conducted among Norwegian nurses, it reveals significant impacts on immune health, emphasizing the necessity for tailored interventions.
Key Takeaways
- Sleep debt increases infection risk.
- Night shifts elevate common cold risk.
- Moderate and severe sleep debt correlate with higher pneumonia/bronchitis rates.
- Custom interventions for healthcare workers are essential.
- Proper sleep management can reduce infection susceptibility.
New Delhi, March 10 (NationPress) Insufficient sleep and working night shifts elevate the likelihood of various common infections, as revealed by a study published on Monday.
Researchers from Norway defined sleep debt as the discrepancy between required sleep and actual sleep duration, finding that it heightened infection risk in a dose-dependent manner.
The research, featured in the journal Chronobiology International, assessed the impact of sleep habits and shift work on the immune system of 1,335 nurses in Norway.
Results indicated that shift work, especially during night hours, was linked to an increased risk of numerous infections, such as the common cold. Specifically, the likelihood of pneumonia or bronchitis was 129 percent higher for nurses experiencing moderate sleep debt and an alarming 288 percent higher for those with severe sleep debt.
Increased risks were also noted for sinusitis and gastrointestinal infections corresponding with rising levels of sleep debt.
According to Siri Waage from the Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, “These findings emphasize the necessity for customized interventions to mitigate infection risks among healthcare professionals.”
“Sleep debt and irregular shift patterns, including night work, not only impair nurses' immune health but may also affect their capacity to deliver high-quality patient care,” Waage continued.
Participants, predominantly female nurses (90.4 percent) with an average age of 41.9 years, reported their sleep duration, sleep requirements, shift work schedules, and frequency of specific infections they experienced in the past three months.
Nurses with moderate sleep debt (one to 120 minutes less sleep than needed) faced a 33 percent higher risk of the common cold, while those suffering from severe sleep debt (over two hours) had more than double the risk compared to those with no sleep debt.
The analysis also indicated that night shifts were associated with a heightened risk of the common cold but did not correlate with any of the other infections analyzed. The study underscores the vital role of adequate sleep and proper shift management in minimizing vulnerability to infections.
