Differences in network structures for distinct profiles of sleep inertia among intern nurses with shift work

Individuals exhibit variations in sleep inertia (SI), yet the underlying mechanisms for these substantial interindividual differences remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the network structures among different SI heterogeneity profiles and to compare differences between these distinct profiles. A total of 1,442 intern nurses with shift work were recruited via convenience sampling from a nursing college in Huizhou, China, in 2022. SI was assessed using the Sleep Inertia Questionnaire (SIQ). Latent profile analysis and network analysis were used. There were four profiles of SI among intern nurses with shift work. “React more slowly”, “Feel tense”, “Feel sleepy” and “Think more slowly” were identified as the most central symptoms in the Low, Mild, Moderate, and Severe SI networks, respectively. The global strength of the Low SI network significantly differed from that of the Mild, Moderate, and Severe SI networks. The findings provide new insights into the heterogeneity of SI among intern nurses with shift work. The identification of four distinct profiles and the central symptoms within each network sheds light on the different manifestations of SI severity. These findings highlight the necessity of targeted interventions, which should be tailored to the distinct core symptoms of each SI profile (e.g., targeting sleepiness in the Moderate and thinking slowly in the Severe SI groups).