Sleep Science for the Overworked: How to Improve Rest When You’re Always on Call
Irregular schedules, night shifts, and high-stress environments make quality sleep a challenge for healthcare providers. Poor sleep isn’t just an inconvenience—it affects cognition, emotional regulation, and even increases the risk of chronic disease. Research highlights that sleep deprivation impairs memory consolidation and decision-making, making it harder to function at your best.
Evidence Based Interventions
✔ Circadian Rhythm Adjustment – Bright light therapy in the morning and limiting blue light exposure at night improves sleep patterns. (PMC9478693)
✔ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) – Evidence suggests CBT-I techniques, such as stimulus control and relaxation training, improve sleep even in those with shift work schedules.
Take Aways
• Circadian rhythm matters: Irregular sleep schedules can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to insomnia and increased stress.
• Quality matters more than quantity – Even if you can’t get 8 hours, improving sleep efficiency leads to better recovery.
• Even small sleep improvements help: Research suggests that improving sleep hygiene—like reducing screen exposure before bed—can enhance sleep quality, even if total hours are limited.
Action Steps
✔ Follow a consistent bedtime routine: Even if you can’t sleep at the same time every night, create a pre-bed ritual like reading, stretching, or deep breathing.
✔ Use strategic napping: A 10-20 minute power nap can boost alertness without making you groggy.
✔ Reduce screen exposure 1 hour before bed – Use blue light filters or switch to reading before sleep.
