A Shift to Something Better? Work Schedule Change and Sleep Medication Use
Summary
This long-term study followed over 2,000 Norwegian nurses to see how changes in work schedules affected the use of prescription sleep medications. Nurses who moved from night shifts to day-only work were more than 50% less likely to use sleep medication compared with those who continued night work. Nurses who switched to shifts without nights also showed a reduction, though the results were not statistically significant. The findings suggest that leaving night work may improve sleep enough to reduce reliance on sleep aids.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
For people working nights, this research shows how much the schedule itself can affect sleep health. Nurses who stopped night shifts and worked only daytime hours needed far fewer prescribed sleep medications. While not everyone can leave night work, the study highlights why pushing for schedule flexibility or opportunities to reduce night duty can make a real difference in long-term sleep and health.
Notes
Open access (Occupational & Environmental Medicine).