Bergen, Norway — Shift work and being sleep-deprived may increase the risk of contracting a cold and other common infections, results of a recent study of nurses show.
Researchers from the Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders at Haukeland University Hospital used data from more than 1,300 nurses at the hospital who participated in the Survey of Shift Work, Sleep and Health study. The nurses reported their sleep duration, sleep needs and shift work patterns, as well as specific infections they experienced over the previous three months.
The results: Nurses with moderate sleep debt (one to 120 minutes less sleep than needed) had a 33% higher risk of contracting a common cold compared with nurses who had no sleep debt. Those in severe sleep debt (more than two hours) had more than double the risk.
The risk of pneumonia/bronchitis was 129% higher for nurses in moderate sleep debt and 288% greater among those in severe debt. The risk of sinusitis and gastrointestinal issues also increased as sleep debt levels increased.
Night shift work was linked only to a rise in risk of the common cold.
To limit infection risks, the researchers recommend optimizing shift patterns, such as limiting consecutive night shifts and allowing adequate recovery time between shifts. They also encourage regular health screenings and vaccinations, along with raising awareness of sleep to benefit immune health.
“Sleep debt and irregular shift patterns, including night work, not only compromise nurses’ immune health but could also impact their ability to provide high-quality patient care,” lead study author Siri Waage, coordinator at the sleep center, said in a press release.
The study was published in the journal Chronobiology International.
