Sleep Quality and Physical Activity of Night Shift Nurses Working at Hospitals by Age,Education Level and Work Experience: A Survey-Based Study

Background/Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the specific relationships between sleep quality, physical activity levels, and demographic characteristics (age, education level, and work experience) in night shift nurses working at hospitals. Understanding these relationships is critical for developing evidence-based scheduling, educational initiatives for sleep hygiene, and physical activity programs that can mitigate the negative impacts of night work, ultimately promoting workforce sustainability and safer patient health outcomes. Methods: A questioning survey was conducted involving 400 night shift nurses. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which included Individual Characteristics Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form. Results: The sleep quality of night shift nurses differed statistically significantly by age in almost all sub-scales except for the sub-scale “habitual sleep efficiency”. The youngest nurses rated their subjective sleep quality the best, while the oldest nurses rated their sleep quality the worst. Physical activity levels differed significantly by age among night shift nurses. Specifically, the youngest group showed a higher proportion of high physical activity compared to the oldest group of night shift nurses. Conclusions: Night shift work is a primary driver of poor sleep quality among nurses, regardless of age, experience, or education level. Physical activity is strongly linked to better sleep quality among night shift nurses.