CIRCADIAN VARIABILITY OF SLEEP-WAKE CYCLE AND ORAL TEMPERATURE IN SHIFTWORKING NURSES
Keywords:
chronobiology, sleep-wake cycle, oral temperatureAbstract
Objective
Study the characteristics of the sleep-wake cycle and the daily variability of oral temperature.
Methods
Fifty-nine volunteer nurses in good health participated, aged 23 to 53 years, divided into two groups according to their work shift (day and night). They answered the questionnaire about sleeping habits daily, after waking up. Oral temperature was measured using the autorhythmometric method at three-hour intervals during the waking period.
Results
Analysis of the nurses' sleep questionnaires revealed the existence of three different types of sleep: monophasic sleep, nap and fragmented sleep (Kruskall-Wallis p=0.001). Oral temperature analyzes indicated that night shift nurses showed smaller amplitudes (Cosinor p=0.000). Furthermore, regardless of the work shift, nurses performed better at the beginning of the period (Wilcoxon test).
Conclusion
The results suggest the effect of night shift work on all variables under study.
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References
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