Sleep debt and night shifts raise the risk of several common infections, according to a study published Monday. Researchers from Norway found that sleep debt, defined as the gap between sleep need and actual sleep duration, increased infection risk in a dose-dependent manner.
Published in the journal Chronobiology International, the study examined the effects of sleep patterns and shift work on the immune system among 1,335 nurses from Norway. The findings revealed that shift work, particularly night shifts, was associated with a higher risk of several infections, including the common cold. Nurses with moderate sleep debt had a 129% higher risk of pneumonia/bronchitis, and those with severe sleep debt had a 288% higher risk.
Additionally, both sinusitis and gastrointestinal infections showed increased risks with higher levels of sleep debt. Siri Waage, from the Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, highlighted the need for tailored interventions to reduce infection risks among healthcare workers.
“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,” Waage said.
Participants, primarily female nurses with an average age of 41.9 years, reported their sleep duration, sleep needs, shift work patterns, and frequency of specific infections over the past three months. Nurses with moderate sleep debt (one to 120 minutes less sleep than needed) had a 33% higher risk of the common cold, while those with severe sleep debt (more than two hours less) had more than double the risk compared to those with no sleep debt.
The analysis also found that night work was linked with an increased risk of the common cold, but not with any of the other infections examined. The study emphasizes the importance of adequate sleep and shift management in reducing susceptibility to infection.
