Determinants of Sleep Quality and Health Outcomes Among Night-Shift Nurses: Cross-sectional Study (China)

Registration: PMCID: PMC11704493

Status: Published

Tags: Circadian, Cross-sectional, Epidemiology, Fatigue, Fatigue & alertness, Health outcomes, Healthcare workers, Hospital, Mental health, Night-shift workers, Nurses, Nutrition & diet, Observational, Occupational health, Practical, Recovery, Shift work, Sleep, Sleep hygiene, Well-being / Quality of life, Work–life balance / Family impacts

External URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11704493/

Summary

This cross-sectional study surveyed 711 night-shift nurses in China to identify factors linked with poor sleep quality and related outcomes. Over 90% of participants reported poor sleep, as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Key risk factors included higher education level, more years of night-shift work, poor quality of make-up sleep, irregular daily routines, and irregular diet. Poor sleep was strongly correlated with greater levels of chronic fatigue.

Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls

For night-shift nurses, sleep quality is shaped not just by staying awake at night but by how recovery is managed—especially make-up sleep, daily habits, and diet. With more than 9 in 10 nurses in this study experiencing poor sleep, the findings emphasize the urgent need for workplace support and personal recovery strategies to reduce fatigue and protect long-term health.

Notes

Open access.

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