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Effects of Operational Naps on Blood Pressure and Performance Among Night Shift Workers

University of Pittsburgh · with National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) · NCT07217769

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 18+ · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
130
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
May 7, 2026
Record last updated
June 3, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

Night shift work schedules disrupt sleep and have a negative impact on cardiovascular health. Most who work in public safety occupations and in healthcare work night shifts. These workers experience abnormal blood pressure during night shifts and are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Napping during night shifts can help to restore blood pressure patterns to a more normal pattern and may help to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. Naps may also have an impact on alertness and performance immediately upon waking. The overarching goal of this study is to determine which duration of a nap taken during simulated night shift work has the greatest impact blood pressure and post-nap performance.

Researchers will compare 5 nap durations to see which has the greatest impact on blood pressure patterns and post-nap psychomotor performance.

Researchers hypothesize that longer naps will lead to improved blood pressure outcomes and shorter naps will contribute to better performance after waking.

Findings will help employers and employees who work night shifts determine how best to incorporate brief naps during night shift work.

Being studied: No-nap; 15-min nap; 30-min nap; 45-min nap; 60-min nap

Conditions: Shift Work

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • non-pregnant adults (>18 years of age)
  • certified public safety/healthcare shift worker
  • is an active shift worker
  • resides within the Western Pennsylvania region within reasonable driving distance

Exclusion Criteria

  • current use of medication for cardiovascular disease (e.g., hypertension)
  • prior or current diagnosis of sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, rheumatologic disease requiring prescription medication, and cancer requiring treatment in past 2 years
  • undiagnosed severe sleep apnea (Apnea-Hypopnea Index >30) based on at-home test
  • Abstains from caffeine or reports adverse effects from caffeine use

Recruiting US locations

  • University of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh, PA 15261

    Site contact: Maureen Morgan · 412-647-3078 · mam84@pitt.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Daniel Patterson, PhD · 412-647-3078 · pdp3@pitt.edu
  • Maureen Morgan · 412-647-3078 · mam84@pitt.edu
All sleep studies in Pennsylvania →
Effects of Operational Naps on Blood Pressure and Performance… (NCT07217769) | Bored Studies