Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses
Abstract Background Shift work can disturb circadian homeostasis and result in fatigue, excessive sleepiness, and reduced quality of life. Light therapy has been shown to impart positive effects in night shift workers. We sought to determine whether or not prolonged exposure to bright light during a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Critical Care |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13054-018-2233-4 |
| _version_ | 1818682153252159488 |
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| author | John E. Griepentrog Hanna E. Labiner Scott R. Gunn Matthew R. Rosengart |
| author_facet | John E. Griepentrog Hanna E. Labiner Scott R. Gunn Matthew R. Rosengart |
| author_sort | John E. Griepentrog |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Shift work can disturb circadian homeostasis and result in fatigue, excessive sleepiness, and reduced quality of life. Light therapy has been shown to impart positive effects in night shift workers. We sought to determine whether or not prolonged exposure to bright light during a night shift reduces sleepiness and enhances psychomotor performance among ICU nurses. Methods This is a single-center randomized, crossover clinical trial at a surgical trauma ICU. ICU nurses working a night shift were exposed to a 10-h period of high illuminance (1500–2000 lx) white light compared to standard ambient fluorescent lighting of the hospital. They then completed the Stanford Sleepiness Scale and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test. The primary and secondary endpoints were analyzed using the paired t test. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 43 matched pairs completed both lighting exposures and were analyzed. When exposed to high illuminance lighting subjects experienced reduced sleepiness scores on the Stanford Sleepiness Scale than when exposed to standard hospital lighting: mean (sem) 2.6 (0.2) vs. 3.0 (0.2), p = 0.03. However, they committed more psychomotor errors: 2.3 (0.2) vs. 1.7 (0.2), p = 0.03. Conclusions A bright lighting environment for ICU nurses working the night shift reduces sleepiness but increases the number of psychomotor errors. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03331822. Retrospectively registered on 6 November 2017. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T10:14:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d33be031f6d047ef92af3bae511c62ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1364-8535 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T10:14:19Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Critical Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-d33be031f6d047ef92af3bae511c62ce2022-12-21T21:52:57ZengBMCCritical Care1364-85352018-11-012211910.1186/s13054-018-2233-4Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nursesJohn E. Griepentrog0Hanna E. Labiner1Scott R. Gunn2Matthew R. Rosengart3Department of Surgery, University of PittsburghDepartment of Surgery, University of PittsburghDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, University of PittsburghDepartment of Surgery, University of PittsburghAbstract Background Shift work can disturb circadian homeostasis and result in fatigue, excessive sleepiness, and reduced quality of life. Light therapy has been shown to impart positive effects in night shift workers. We sought to determine whether or not prolonged exposure to bright light during a night shift reduces sleepiness and enhances psychomotor performance among ICU nurses. Methods This is a single-center randomized, crossover clinical trial at a surgical trauma ICU. ICU nurses working a night shift were exposed to a 10-h period of high illuminance (1500–2000 lx) white light compared to standard ambient fluorescent lighting of the hospital. They then completed the Stanford Sleepiness Scale and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test. The primary and secondary endpoints were analyzed using the paired t test. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 43 matched pairs completed both lighting exposures and were analyzed. When exposed to high illuminance lighting subjects experienced reduced sleepiness scores on the Stanford Sleepiness Scale than when exposed to standard hospital lighting: mean (sem) 2.6 (0.2) vs. 3.0 (0.2), p = 0.03. However, they committed more psychomotor errors: 2.3 (0.2) vs. 1.7 (0.2), p = 0.03. Conclusions A bright lighting environment for ICU nurses working the night shift reduces sleepiness but increases the number of psychomotor errors. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03331822. Retrospectively registered on 6 November 2017.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13054-018-2233-4LightCircadianShift work sleep disorderNight shiftNurse |
| spellingShingle | John E. Griepentrog Hanna E. Labiner Scott R. Gunn Matthew R. Rosengart Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses Critical Care Light Circadian Shift work sleep disorder Night shift Nurse |
| title | Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses |
| title_full | Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses |
| title_fullStr | Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses |
| title_short | Bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift ICU nurses |
| title_sort | bright environmental light improves the sleepiness of nightshift icu nurses |
| topic | Light Circadian Shift work sleep disorder Night shift Nurse |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13054-018-2233-4 |
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