A new study has found that sleep debt and night shifts significantly raise the risk of common infections, highlighting the importance of adequate rest for healthcare workers.

According to researchers from Norway, sleep debt—the gap between the amount of sleep needed and the actual sleep duration—increases infection risk in a dose-dependent manner.

The study, published in the journal Chronobiology International, examined the effects of sleep patterns and shift work on the immune system among 1,335 nurses in Norway.

Shift work and higher risk of illness

The findings revealed that night shifts were associated with a greater likelihood of developing infections, including the common cold. The risk of pneumonia and bronchitis was found to be 129 percent higher for nurses with moderate sleep debt and 288 percent higher for those with severe sleep debt.

Sinusitis and gastrointestinal infections were also more prevalent among individuals with increasing levels of sleep debt.

"These findings highlight the need for tailored interventions to reduce infection risks among healthcare workers," said Siri Waage from the Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen.

Impact on healthcare workers

The study involved mostly female nurses (90.4 percent) with an average age of 41.9 years. Participants reported their sleep duration, sleep needs, shift work schedules, and the frequency of specific infections they had experienced over the past three months.

Nurses with moderate sleep debt (one to 120 minutes less sleep than needed) had a 33 percent higher risk of catching the common cold. Those with severe sleep debt (more than two hours less sleep than required) had more than double the risk compared to those with no sleep debt.

"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 added.

The role of night shifts

The study also found that night work increased the risk of the common cold but was not linked to other infections examined. Researchers emphasised the need for adequate sleep and proper shift management to reduce susceptibility to infections.

IANS