Light and Dark Management to Mitigate Sleepiness and Fatigue Associated with Night Shift Work: Insights into Circadian Disruption and Sleep Quality

Introduction: Numerous studies indicate that night shift work negatively impacts health and performance. Work during times designated for rest, and sleeping during periods intended for wakefulness, conflicts with human diurnal physiology, which is regulated in part by the circadian clock. This misalignment results in sleep deprivation, increased sleepiness, decreased performance, and impaired health and quality of life for shift workers. Although studies conducted in controlled environments suggest that managing exposure to light and darkness can alleviate these problems, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions under real-world working conditions.