Work

Light Control-Based Interventions to Improve Symptoms After Night Shifts in Nurses: A Review

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Shift work disorder is common among nurses who work night shifts. It is characterized by insomnia after the shift and excessive daytime somnolence the day after for a period of three months or longer. The objective of this review was to synthesize evidence regarding the improvement of shift work disorder symptoms following light-control-based therapies in nurses. We searched the PubMed and Google Scholar databases for relevant articles. Of the articles that contained Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) descriptors, those that did not fulfill the objective of the search were rejected. Finally, 10 articles were included in the review. The literature search showed that light-based intervention is a plausible nonpharmacological therapy for shift work disorder symptoms in nurses. In some studies, exposure to red light, or blue light depletion, during the shift was also used with good results. Light-based interventions and their variants are potentially useful nonpharmacological therapeutic measures for treating insomnia and daytime somnolence in nurses.

Source: Journal of Sleep Medicine

DOI: 10.13078/jsm.250029

Authors: Adrián Poblano, Rafael Santana-Miranda

Institutions: Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Language: English

Topic: Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7160433047