Effective Methods for Getting Through an All-Nighter with Optimal Rest

A recent research paper has suggested the most effective sleep strategy for staying awake throughout the night. It investigates whether the absence of naps, a single extended nap, or two shorter naps is more effective in countering sleepiness and tiredness while sustaining work performance.

For healthcare professionals working in shifts, students facing impending exams, or new parents dealing with infants who haven’t yet established day-night patterns, the notion of staying awake throughout the night is quite familiar. Drawing from earlier research, Sanae Oriyama, a researcher from Hiroshima University in Japan, examined the impact of the duration and timing of naps taken by nursing staff during nighttime shifts on feelings of sleepiness, fatigue, and job performance. The researchers suggest that their findings might also be relevant for new parents.

Optimizing Performance and Alertness

“A 90-minute nap to sustain overall performance over time, along with a 30-minute nap to minimize fatigue and enhance rapid responses, when strategically incorporated, can prove beneficial for improving work efficiency and safety during early morning hours,” explained Oriyama.

Our body’s internal clock, which is sensitive to light (known as the circadian rhythm), promotes alertness during the daytime and prepares us for sleep at night. Night shifts disrupt these circadian rhythms, resulting in drowsiness, reduced focus, and decreased effectiveness. Some research has indicated that napping can mitigate the adverse impacts of night shifts.

In Japanese public hospitals, nursing staff typically have the opportunity to rest or nap for up to two hours during a 16-hour night shift. To assess the impact on alertness and cognitive performance during a simulated night shift from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., Oriyama conducted a study. This study compared three scenarios: having a single 120-minute nap (referred to as the one-nap group), having a 90-minute nap followed by a 30-minute nap (referred to as the two-nap group), or having no nap at all.

Impact on Drowsiness and Fatigue

The findings revealed that both taking no naps and having only one nap were linked to increased drowsiness from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and higher subjective fatigue compared to the two-nap group. Conversely, having two naps reduced drowsiness until 6:00 a.m. and fatigue until 9:00 a.m. Notably, a divided nap ending at 3:00 a.m. proved effective in mitigating the effects of drowsiness and fatigue.

Regarding cognitive performance, neither a single nap nor two naps led to improved results. However, nurses who experienced longer sleep-onset latency during the 90-minute nap session exhibited lower scores in the Uchida-Kraepelin test (UKT), which is a timed basic math assessment designed to measure task execution speed and accuracy.

“During an extended night shift, such as one spanning from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day, a bifurcated nap consisting of 90 minutes and 30 minutes, ending at 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. respectively, is believed to be more effective compared to a continuous 120-minute nap concluding at 12 a.m., especially when tasks requiring rapid responses to maintain a high level of safety are scheduled between 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.,” Oriyama explained.

Balancing Nap Timing for Optimal Alertness

The study also emphasized the significance of nap timing. Oriyama suggested that starting naps too late should be avoided. While a delayed nap can be more effective in warding off sleepiness, excessive postponement can disrupt work concentration as the urge to sleep intensifies.

Furthermore, the researcher noted that the study’s findings could be valuable for new parents. Oriyama stated, “The results of this study can be applied not only to night shift workers but also to reduce sleep deprivation fatigue in mothers caring for infants.”

However, Oriyama acknowledged the study’s limitations. Firstly, it was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, which may differ from real work environments. Secondly, the female participants recruited for the study lacked prior experience with shift work, which could have influenced the results. Consequently, Oriyama pointed out the need for further research to better understand the ideal timing and nap schedules during extended night shifts.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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