RECOVERY FROM WORK SHIFTS - HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE

Although regulations on work hours usually include a minimum weekly re st period, there is little empirical evidence concerning recovery from work. Shift-working nurses (N = 61) used a handheld computer for 28 d ays to complete self-ratings, cognitive-performance tasks, and a deep diary. Many measures were worse on rest days that followed a night shi ft rather than a day shift and tended to be worse on first rest days c ompared with subsequent rest days. Alertness was lowest on the ist res t day following a night shift. Social satisfaction was better on workd ays that were preceded by 2 rather than 1 rest day. Reaction time decr eased over consecutive night shifts and tended to increase over rest d ays following night shifts. The results are interpreted as being consi stent with the combined adaptive costs of fatigue and adjustment to an d from a nocturnal routine. The practical implications for scheduling rest days are considered.