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Nurses and midwives perceive poor sleep as an expected and inevitable part of the job, influenced by personal, work-related, and institutional factors, and employ various behaviours to manage sleep.

This systematic review of 33 qualitative studies synthesized 245 findings into 24 categories and 9 synthesised findings. It found that while nurses and midwives view sleep as important, they often accept poor sleep as an unavoidable aspect of their profession, with experiences shaped by personal circumstances, work factors, and institutional practices, and they use strategies like planning sleep time, sleep aids, and environmental modifications.

Last updated: Aug 20, 2026•0 RCTs•1 Meta-analyses•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score47/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis★★★☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Exploring the perceptions, experiences, and behaviours that nurses and midwives face in relation to sleep: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.

observational

Matricciani L, Clarke J, Fereday J, Peterson R, Whiteman R, Archer D, O'Shaughnessy PK, McCracken T, Peters MDJ · International journal of nursing studies (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: N/A
Intervention: Not applicable (qualitative systematic review of perceptions, experiences, and behaviours)
Outcome: Perceptions, experiences, and behaviours related to sleep among nurses and midwives
Effect Size: N/A
Population: Nurses and midwives (from 33 qualitative studies)

Result:

PubMed: 42600235DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105653

Mechanism Graph

Nurses and midwives perceive sleep as important but normalize poor sleep as part of the job
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Work-related factors (e.g., shift work, workload) and personal circumstances (e.g., family) influence sleep experiences
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Professional training and institutional practices shape sleep-related attitudes and behaviours
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Result: Nurses and midwives adopt various behaviours (e.g., planning sleep, using aids, modifying environment) to manage sleep, but poor sleep persists, impacting wellbeing and clinical practice

Limitations

  • ⚠Qualitative evidence synthesis may be limited by the methodological quality of included studies, though ConQual assessment was used
  • ⚠Search was conducted on a single date (10th October 2024) and may miss recent studies
  • ⚠The review focused on qualitative evidence, so quantitative outcomes (e.g., prevalence, effect sizes) are not reported

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main factors affecting sleep in nurses and midwives?▼

The review identified personal circumstances (e.g., family, home environment), work-related factors (e.g., shift work, workload, night shifts), and professional training/institutional practices as key influences on sleep.

What behaviours do nurses and midwives use to manage sleep?▼

They described planning time to sleep, using sleep aids (e.g., medication, supplements), modifying the sleep environment (e.g., blackout curtains, white noise), and altering daytime behaviours (e.g., napping, caffeine intake).

Why is poor sleep considered inevitable in nursing and midwifery?▼

The review found that nurses and midwives often view poor sleep as an expected part of the job due to the need to provide continuous care and the demands of shift work, leading to normalization of sleep disruption.

What implications does this review have for interventions?▼

The findings suggest that interventions should address not only individual behaviours but also institutional practices and professional training to promote healthy sleep, as current efforts may be insufficient.

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References

  1. 1.Matricciani L, Clarke J, Fereday J, Peterson R, Whiteman R, Archer D, O'Shaughnessy PK, McCracken T, Peters MDJ. "Exploring the perceptions, experiences, and behaviours that nurses and midwives face in relation to sleep: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.." International journal of nursing studies, 2026. PMID: 42600235 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105653
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