Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between chronotype, general health status and sleep quality in a sample of Spanish nurses. An observational study assessing morningness-eveningness predisposition, general health status and quality of sleep was conducted between January and April 2018. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. A linear regression model was carried out to determine the influence of the variables on the morningness-eveningness type. Morning-type was associated with aging (β = 0.249, p = 0.005), being married (β = 3.970, p = 0.033), and with a self-assessed low daily sleepiness (β = -0.311, p = 0.152). Good quality of sleep was moderately correlated with high values of general health (r = 0.337) and perceived quality of life (r = 0.426). Anomalies of the circadian rhythm together with the features of shift workers may play an important role in predicting self-assessed general health status or the quality of sleep in nurses.
Highlights
Most life forms have adapted to the planet through evolution by generating internal circadian rhythms, 24-hour patterns regulating behaviour, organs, and cells, which align their biological functions with the regular, predictable environmental patterns to optimise function and health[1]
Morning types (M-types) and Evening types (E-types), categories, which are often defined in the literature as subgroups definitely morning type (DM)-moderately morning type (MM) and moderately evening type (ME)-definitely evening type (DE), showed significant differences when tested on the optimal time of day for dealing with a persuasive message
The work schedule was full-time for 84.8% of the sample (n = 78), and part-time for 14.1% (n=13). 29.3% (n = 27) of the nurses worked on a regular shift, while 56.5% (n = 52) had a rotating shift and 3.3% (n = 3) had a mixed shift
Summary
Most life forms have adapted to the planet through evolution by generating internal circadian rhythms, 24-hour patterns regulating behaviour, organs, and cells, which align their biological functions with the regular, predictable environmental patterns to optimise function and health[1]. Over the past few years, increased interest in an individual’s circadian phase has emerged, especially after the research by Horne and Östberg into morningness and eveningness In these studies, using a self-assessment questionnaire, they assessed for the first time individual differences in the time of day people preferred to carry out various activities. This led them to develop a theory which classified participants as: definitely morning type (DM), moderately morning type (MM), intermediate type (IT), moderately evening type (ME), and definitely evening type (DE)(5). Similar patterns have appeared in cross-sectional studies on academic achievement in students, with M-type individuals exhibiting better academic performance than E-type, these results might be influenced by the generally early schedules of most universities[10]
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