Effect of a Sleep Hygiene Education Program on Sleep Problems in Female Nurses on Shift Work

Background and Objective: Sleep condition of nurses is important because it may affect providing healthcare services by them. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a sleep hygiene course in nurses suffering from sleep disorders. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted among nurses with clinical insomnia. The nurses were randomly divided into intervention (50 nurses) and control (50 nurses) groups. For nurses in the intervention group, a 2-hour training session was held about sleep hygiene practices. 1 month after the intervention, the Persian versions of Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), and Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) questionnaire were completed by all participants. Data were analyzed using t test. Results: All nurses were female, and their mean age was 29.8 ± 3.2 years. After the intervention, sleep latency was 15.5 ± 8.8 and 35.7 ± 19.7 minute in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P 0.001). Total sleep duration per day was 462.6 ± 21.4 and 436.8 ± 18.8 minute in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P 0.001). Total PSQI score (5.4 ± 0.9 vs. 7.0 ± 1.2, P = 0.003), ISI (9.3 ± 1.2 vs. 15.3 ± 2.7, P 0.001), and ESS (7.6 ± 1.3 vs. 10.6 ± 1.6, P 0.001) in the intervention group were significantly lower than control group. Conclusion: Sleep hygiene education consisted of a 2-hour session, and an educational brochure improved sleep problems in shift work nurses.