Napping Rooms + Light Blocking Glasses for Burnout

Overseen By Amy McLaughlin, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh

Must not be taking: Sleep aides, Melatonin

Disqualifiers: Sleep disorders, Serious mental illness, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

8 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores ways to help nurses working night shifts feel less tired and burned out. It tests a special napping room and glasses that block blue and green light to see if these can improve nurses' health and reduce missed care. Participants will try each intervention separately and together to determine which works best. Registered nurses working full-time night or rotating shifts at UPMC Shadyside who are willing to wear a Fitbit and try the interventions are ideal candidates for this study. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative solutions for improving nurse well-being.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you stop using prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids, including melatonin. Other medications are not mentioned, so it's unclear if you need to stop them.

What prior data suggests that these interventions are safe for nurses?

Research has shown that short naps can reduce stress and increase alertness. One study found that two brief naps lowered stress levels and even protected the heart. Another study indicated that napping can prevent issues caused by insufficient sleep, such as heart problems.

Blue and green light blocking glasses are generally easy to use. Some people have reported rare side effects like headaches or discomfort. While some studies did not find a significant effect on reducing eye strain or tiredness, these glasses are usually safe to wear.

Both nap rooms and light blocking glasses have been shown to be safe options. They may help reduce stress and tiredness with minimal risk. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the trial exploring napping rooms and light-blocking glasses for burnout because it introduces a non-pharmacological approach to tackling this condition. Unlike standard treatments for burnout, which often involve medications and therapy sessions, this trial focuses on creating an environment conducive to relaxation and reducing light exposure, which may help in resetting the body's natural rhythms. The use of napping rooms offers a unique way for individuals to rest and recharge during the day, while the light-blocking glasses aim to minimize exposure to blue and green light, which can negatively impact sleep and stress levels. This innovative combination has the potential to provide a more holistic and accessible way to alleviate symptoms of burnout.

What evidence suggests that these interventions could be effective for reducing burnout?

This trial will evaluate the effects of access to a napping/relaxation room and the use of blue and green light blocking glasses, both separately and in combination. Research has shown that access to a nap or relaxation room can lower stress and boost energy. For instance, students who napped during the day felt less tired and more energetic. Additionally, using a relaxation room at work has reduced stress.

Regarding blue and green light blocking glasses, the evidence is mixed. Some studies suggest these glasses can reduce tiredness and stress, while others find little effect on eye strain or sleep issues. However, glasses that filter multiple colors of light have decreased certain brain activities related to alertness, potentially aiding relaxation. Participants in this trial will experience these interventions in different sequences to assess their effectiveness. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for night shift nurses who are experiencing burnout or want to maintain their health. Participants should be currently working night shifts and willing to try using a napping/relaxation room and blue/green light blocking glasses as part of the study.

Inclusion Criteria

Working full-time night or rotating shifts

Being a registered nurse at UPMC Shadyside (Pittsburgh, PA)

Willing to wear a Fitbit around-the-clock during the study

Exclusion Criteria

Currently being treated for a serious mental illness

Needing to use eye glasses to complete work related activities (note: contact lenses are acceptable)

I have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2 months

Intervention

Participants undergo fatigue countermeasure interventions including access to napping/relaxation room and use of blue/green light blocking glasses during night shift

3 months

Multiple visits as per intervention schedule

Washout

A two-week washout period between different intervention conditions

2 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in health, sleep, fatigue, cognitive function, and burnout after interventions

4 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Access to napping/relaxation room
• Blue and green light blocking glasses

Trial Overview The trial is testing if having access to a napping/relaxation room and wearing blue/green light blocking glasses can improve the health of night shift nurses, reduce missed care, and prevent burnout. It's a pilot study to see if these methods are practical.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Single group, crossover - order of the interventions to be randomly selected Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

All participants will receive the same interventions which includes access to the napping/relaxation room only intervention, blue and green light blocking glasses only intervention, and the combined intervention. There will be a two-week washout between the interventions. The order of the interventions will be randomized to one of the following options: * Napping/relaxation room, blue and green light blocking glasses, combined * Blue and green light blocking glasses, napping/relaxation room, combined * Napping/relaxation room, combined, blue and green light blocking glasses * Blue and green light blocking glasses, combined, napping/relaxation room * Combined, napping/relaxation room, blue and green light blocking glasses * Combined, blue and green light blocking glasses, napping/relaxation room

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pittsburgh

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,820

Recruited

16,360,000+

Shadyside Hospital Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

4

Recruited

130+

Shadyside Hospital Foundation

Collaborator

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 33 medical inpatients, morning bright light therapy combined with evening short-wavelength filter glasses improved sleep quality, leading to fewer night awakenings and earlier wake times compared to standard care.

Patients receiving the light therapy reported lower sleepiness and higher mood levels during the morning hours, indicating that this treatment is both effective and well-tolerated for enhancing daytime alertness and emotional well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Morning Light Glasses and Night Short-Wavelength Filter Glasses on Sleep-Wake Rhythmicity in Medical Inpatients. Formentin, C., Carraro, S., Turco, M., et al.[2020]

Combining cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) with blue-light blocking glasses significantly reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in patients, with a notable reduction in the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score in the active group compared to the placebo group.

Patients using blue-light blocking glasses also experienced a significant increase in subjective total sleep time and a reduction in sleep latency, suggesting that blocking blue light before bedtime can enhance sleep quality for those with insomnia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Block the light and sleep well: Evening blue light filtration as a part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Janků, K., Šmotek, M., Fárková, E., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9786543/

A brief nap during an acute stressor improves negative affect These results indicate a nap can improve negative emotions accompanying a stressor to a greater extent than taking a break.

2. bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-025-03101-0

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on burnout ... The meta-analysis showed that mindfulness-based interventions could effectively improve burnout (SMD = -1.43, 95% CI: -1.94 to − 0.92, P < 0.001) ...

3. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13548506.2025.2565516?src=

Association between daytime napping and perceived ... Additionally, students reported that daytime napping contributed to stress management most by 'reducing physical fatigue and feeling energetic (31%, n = 173)' ...

4. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21650799231184375

Relaxation Methods to Reduce Occupational Stress The use of a wellness room or relaxation room may decrease the perception of psychological stress at work (Jacques et al., 2018). Being able to ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212958824000879

Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on sleep ... The results suggest that participating in MBSR enhances sleep quality and practicing mindfulness may contribute to reducing cognitive arousal.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4202767/

Effects of Two 15-min Naps on the Subjective Sleepiness ... The results of this study suggest that taking two short naps may effectively reduce tension and prevent a brief increase in HF values by suppressing ...

7. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21650799231184375

Relaxation Methods to Reduce Occupational Stress Montanari et al. (2019) revealed that using relaxation methods reduced the perception of burnout in areas of emotional exhaustion and ...

8. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nicc.70056

Wake Up Call: A Qualitative Study of Nursing and Medical ... Several studies have found that napping can protect against adverse health outcomes induced by shorter sleep duration, such as cardiovascular ...

9. jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40101-024-00378-z

Quantity and quality of napping to mitigate fatigue and ... This study explored night-shift napping and its associated factors among nurses, considering napping quantity and quality, to mitigate fatigue and sleepiness.

10. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/napping-rooms-light-blocking-glasses-for-burnout-2d5d7

Napping Rooms + Light Blocking Glasses for Burnout What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment involving access to napping/relaxation rooms and blue and green light blocking glasses for burnout?