Changing Organizational Work Schedules Reduces Quick Returns: Effects on Sleep and Fatigue
Summary
This editorial reviews findings from a large randomized controlled trial that tested whether reducing “quick returns” — shifts separated by fewer than 11 hours — could improve workers’ sleep. The trial involved hospital employees and showed that when schedules were adjusted to allow longer rest periods between shifts, participants reported fewer insomnia symptoms and less daytime sleepiness. The effects were modest but meaningful, demonstrating that organizational-level changes to scheduling can improve sleep health, even without targeting workers with diagnosed sleep disorders.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
For night-shift and rotating-shift workers, one of the biggest challenges is having enough time between shifts to rest and recover. This study shows that even modest changes — like avoiding back-to-back shifts with less than 11 hours in between — can reduce insomnia symptoms and help with daytime alertness. While the improvements were small, it reinforces that sleep problems aren’t just a personal issue to solve. The way shifts are scheduled plays a direct role in sleep quality, safety, and long-term health.
Notes
Open access.