Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance

Öster, Kristin; Söderström, Marie; Tucker, Philip; Axelsson, John; Kecklund, Göran; Dahlgren, Anna

doi:10.1111/jsr.70244

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Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance

Kristin Öster

, Marie Söderström, Philip Tucker

, John Axelsson, Göran Kecklund, Anna Dahlgren

Journal of Sleep Research

Swansea University Author: Philip Tucker

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DOI (Published version): 10.1111/jsr.70244

Abstract

As sleep restriction has negative effects on performance, ensuring sufficient sleep for shift workers is essential. Quick returns (< 11 h off between shifts) shorten sleep and are associated with increased fatigue and risk of accidents, but there is limited research on other aspects of cognitive...

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Published in:	Journal of Sleep Research
ISSN:	0962-1105 1365-2869
Published:	Wiley 2025
Online Access:	Check full text
URI:	https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71147

first_indexed	2025-12-15T12:36:21Z
last_indexed	2026-01-21T05:28:40Z
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spelling	2026-01-20T11:43:32.2186650 v2 71147 2025-12-15 Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance 7d07250cf5f1cbaf8788af9f48cf000a 0000-0002-8105-0901 Philip Tucker Philip Tucker true false 2025-12-15 PSYS As sleep restriction has negative effects on performance, ensuring sufficient sleep for shift workers is essential. Quick returns (< 11 h off between shifts) shorten sleep and are associated with increased fatigue and risk of accidents, but there is limited research on other aspects of cognitive performance and work performance. The aim of the present quasi-experimental field study was to investigate the effects of quick returns on objective and subjective measures of sleep, fatigue and cognitive performance. In total 36 newly graduated nurses were followed during two pre-scheduled work periods, with and without a quick return (evening–day–day vs. day–day–day). They kept diaries of sleep and work, wore actigraphy wristbands to record sleep and performed 3 × 3 min smartphone-based cognitive tests (simple reaction time, episodic memory and Stroop) several times daily. Quick returns were found to shorten sleep by 46 min on average, and participants felt less rested in the morning and sleepier throughout the day. Sleep fragmentation and sleep efficiency did not differ between conditions but participants reported poorer sleep quality. Although the nurses reported cognitive impairments after a quick return, the estimated effects on simple attention, episodic memory and Stroop were small and overlapped zero. There were also indications of lingering fatigue on the second day shift after a quick return, but estimates are uncertain. In sum, quick returns shorten sleep and decrease subjective alertness, which could contribute to increased fatigue-related risk at work, but people seem able to mobilise necessary resources to maintain performance on short cognitive tasks. Journal Article Journal of Sleep Research 0 Wiley 0962-1105 1365-2869 backward rotation; recovery; safety; short rest periods; sleep deprivation 15 12 2025 2025-12-15 10.1111/jsr.70244 COLLEGE NANME Psychology School COLLEGE CODE PSYS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee This work was supported by the Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd (2017-02032) 2026-01-20T11:43:32.2186650 2025-12-15T12:31:54.1366850 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Kristin Öster 0000-0001-5611-0573 1 Marie Söderström 2 Philip Tucker 0000-0002-8105-0901 3 John Axelsson 4 Göran Kecklund 5 Anna Dahlgren 6 71147__36059__07bc700ffa2843fda3b70f89aadd71c7.pdf 71147.VoR.pdf 2026-01-20T11:40:24.9671959 Output 331568 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance
spellingShingle	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance Philip Tucker
title_short	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance
title_full	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance
title_fullStr	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance
title_full_unstemmed	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance
title_sort	Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance
author_id_str_mv	7d07250cf5f1cbaf8788af9f48cf000a
author_id_fullname_str_mv	7d07250cf5f1cbaf8788af9f48cf000a_***_Philip Tucker
author	Philip Tucker
author2	Kristin Öster Marie Söderström Philip Tucker John Axelsson Göran Kecklund Anna Dahlgren
format	Journal article
container_title	Journal of Sleep Research
container_volume	0
publishDate	2025
institution	Swansea University
issn	0962-1105 1365-2869
doi_str_mv	10.1111/jsr.70244
publisher	Wiley
college_str	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id	facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id	facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str	School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
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description	As sleep restriction has negative effects on performance, ensuring sufficient sleep for shift workers is essential. Quick returns (< 11 h off between shifts) shorten sleep and are associated with increased fatigue and risk of accidents, but there is limited research on other aspects of cognitive performance and work performance. The aim of the present quasi-experimental field study was to investigate the effects of quick returns on objective and subjective measures of sleep, fatigue and cognitive performance. In total 36 newly graduated nurses were followed during two pre-scheduled work periods, with and without a quick return (evening–day–day vs. day–day–day). They kept diaries of sleep and work, wore actigraphy wristbands to record sleep and performed 3 × 3 min smartphone-based cognitive tests (simple reaction time, episodic memory and Stroop) several times daily. Quick returns were found to shorten sleep by 46 min on average, and participants felt less rested in the morning and sleepier throughout the day. Sleep fragmentation and sleep efficiency did not differ between conditions but participants reported poorer sleep quality. Although the nurses reported cognitive impairments after a quick return, the estimated effects on simple attention, episodic memory and Stroop were small and overlapped zero. There were also indications of lingering fatigue on the second day shift after a quick return, but estimates are uncertain. In sum, quick returns shorten sleep and decrease subjective alertness, which could contribute to increased fatigue-related risk at work, but people seem able to mobilise necessary resources to maintain performance on short cognitive tasks.
published_date	2025-12-15T05:31:37Z
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Quick Returns: A Quasi‐Experimental Field Study on the Effects on Sleep, Fatigue and Cognitive Performance

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