Saf Health Work.  2015 Sep;6(3):240-248. 10.1016/j.shaw.2015.07.003.

Self-Reported Recovery from 2-Week 12-Hour Shift Work Schedules: A 14-Day Follow-Up

• Merkus SL
• Holte KA
• Huysmans M
• van de Ven PM
• Mechelen W
• van der Beek AJ

• KMID: 2317202
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2015.07.003

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Recovery from fatigue is important in maintaining night workers' health. This study compared the course of self-reported recovery after 2-week 12-hour schedules consisting of either night shifts or swing shifts (i.e., 7 night shifts followed by 7 day shifts) to such schedules consisting of only day work.
METHODS
Sixty-one male offshore employeesd-20 night workers, 16 swing shift workers, and 25 day workersdrated six questions on fatigue (sleep quality, feeling rested, physical and mental fatigue, and energy levels; scale 1-11) for 14 days after an offshore tour. After the two night-work schedules, differences on the 1st day (main effects) and differences during the follow-up (interaction effects) were compared to day work with generalized estimating equations analysis.
RESULTS
After adjustment for confounders, significant main effects were found for sleep quality for night workers (1.41, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.89) and swing shift workers (1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.94) when compared to day workers; their interaction terms were not statistically significant. For the remaining fatigue outcomes, no statistically significant main or interaction effects were found.
CONCLUSION
After 2-week 12-hour night and swing shifts, only the course for sleep quality differed from that of day work. Sleep quality was poorer for night and swing shift workers on the 1st day off and remained poorer for the 14-day follow-up. This showed that while working at night had no effect on feeling rested, tiredness, and energy levels, it had a relatively long-lasting effect on sleep quality.

Keyword

fatigue; long working hours; night work; offshore workers; recovery after work

MeSH Terms

Appointments and Schedules*
Fatigue
Follow-Up Studies*
Humans
Male
Mental Fatigue