Night Shift Owl

Workshops

Our team gives workshops for night shift workers at hospitals and other workplaces. We currently have funding to deliver select workshops for no cost.

Workshop: Evidence-based strategies to reduce shift work fatigue

Description

Shift workers often experience high levels of fatigue. This workshop gives practical and evidence-based strategies to mitigate this issue. We begin with an overview of chronobiology and its implications for shift work. We then discuss the optimal timing of strategies to reduce fatigue and improve work performance. These strategies include:

• when to get (and avoid) bright light,
• what and when to eat during night shifts,
• when and how long to nap before or during the shift, and
• when to exercise.

Attendees will then build their own plan based on their most feasible strategies to reduce fatigue.

Objectives

• Review the effects of working night shifts on health, fatigue, sleep, and work performance.
• Learn techniques to increase alertness and cognitive performance during night shifts.
• Construct a personalised plan to manage rotating shift schedules and reduce fatigue.

Team

The workshops are led by our team of researchers:

• Dr. Jay Olson (Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toronto),
• Despina Z. Artenie, MSc (PhD student, Université du Québec à Montréal), and
• Mariève Cyr, MSc (medical student, McGill University).

Details

The workshops can be 20 minutes to 1.5 hours, delivered virtually or in-person, in English or French. We have delivered them at various hospitals (Vancouver General Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Burnaby Hospital, and Mount St. Joseph’s Hospital, McGill University, and the Glen site of the McGill University Health Centre). Contact us to schedule a workshop.