A coffee and catnap keep you sharp on the nightshift, study suggests


Date:
August 28, 2020
Source:
University of South Australia
Summary:
A simple coffee and a quick catnap could be the cure for staying
alert on the nightshift as new research shows that this unlikely
combination can improve attention and reduce sleep inertia.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A simple coffee and a quick catnap could be the cure for staying alert
on the nightshift as new research from the University of South Australia
shows that this unlikely combination can improve attention and reduce
sleep inertia.


==========================================================================
In Australia, more than 1.4 million people are employed in shift work,
with more than 200,000 regularly working night or evening shifts.

Lead researcher, Dr Stephanie Centofanti from UniSA Online and the
Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at UniSA says the finding could
help counteract the kind of sleep inertia that is experienced by many shiftworkers.

"Shift workers are often chronically sleep-deprived because they have
disrupted and irregular sleep patterns," Dr Centofanti says.

"As a result, they commonly use a range of strategies to try to boost
their alertness while on the nightshift, and these can include taking
power naps and drinking coffee -- yet it's important to understand that
there are disadvantages for both.

"Many workers nap during a night shift because they get so tired. But the downside is that they can experience 'sleep inertia' -- that grogginess
you have just after you wake up -- and this can impair their performance
and mood for up to an hour after their nap.

"Caffeine is also used by many people to stay awake and alert. But
again, if you have too much coffee it can harm your overall sleep and
health. And, if you use it to perk you up after a nap, it can take
a good 20-30 minutes to kick in, so there's a significant time delay
before you feel the desired effect.

"A 'caffeine-nap' (or 'caff-nap') could be a viable alternative --
by drinking a coffee before taking a nap, shiftworkers can gain the
benefits of a 20-30- minute nap then the perk of the caffeine when they
wake. It's a win-win." The small pilot study tested the impact of 200
mg of caffeine (equivalent to 1- 2 regular cups of coffee) consumed by participants just before a 3.30am 30- minute nap, comparing results with
a group that took a placebo.

Participants taking a 'caffeine-nap' showed marked improvements in both performance and alertness, indicating the potential of a 'caffeine-nap'
to counteract sleep grogginess.

Dr Centofanti says this shows a promising fatigue countermeasure for shift workers. She says the next move is to test the new finding on more people.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_South_Australia. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Stephanie Centofanti, Siobhan Banks, Scott Coussens, Darren Gray,
Emily
Munro, Johnathon Nielsen, Jillian Dorrian. A pilot study
investigating the impact of a caffeine-nap on alertness during a
simulated night shift.

Chronobiology International, 2020; 1 DOI:
10.1080/07420528.2020.1804922 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200828115401.htm

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