Night Shift Preparation, Performance, and Perception
Summary
This survey study compared how emergency medicine faculty, residents, and nurses prepare for and cope with night shifts at a U.S. medical center. Nurses reported the highest use of blackout curtains, while residents relied on melatonin more than the other groups. Faculty were less likely to use pharmacologic sleep aids, less likely to eat before shifts, and less satisfied with working nights overall. Despite different routines, all groups reported feeling tired during shifts, with 4:00 a.m. as the low point. Faculty were more likely to fall asleep while driving home, though accident rates were low across all groups.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
This study shows that different roles in the same workplace approach night shifts in different ways — from sleep aids to meal timing to recovery strategies. Yet fatigue remained common across groups, and even experienced faculty reported risky levels of drowsiness while driving home. For night-shift workers, the takeaway is that no single strategy is enough. Combining multiple approaches — sleep environment, safe use of aids, food timing, and attention to commute risks — may be the best way to stay safe and manage the toll of nights.
Notes
Includes a melatonin RCT in emergency physicians.