Effect of Sleep Hygiene Orientation on Social Cognition Impairments Due to Chronic Sleep Restriction in Mexican Medical Residents

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep is critical to human physiological function, cognitive performance, and emotional regulation. Healthcare personnel, especially physicians, are chronically exposed to long working hours, which are often accompanied by decreased sleep time. Clinical evidence indicates that these conditions affect their cognitive function and professional practice, but researchers in the field have not sufficiently explored the possible effects of reductions in sleep time on social cognition. Objective: The aim of this is to further explore the effects of sleep restriction among medical residents, the specific impairments in social cognition that it produces, and the effects of a sleep hygiene orientation on those impairments. Method: There were 124 medical residents (50 males, 74 females) who completed a daily sleep/work log, a battery of sleep tests/questionnaires, and neuropsychological evaluations. The participants then received a short course (8 hours) on basic concepts of sleep hygiene and sleep psychoeducation. Once the course was completed, participants filled out the questionnaires again. Results: The results indicate that sleep disturbances in medical residents were associated with severe neurocognitive and social cognition impairments. After the sleep hygiene intervention, neuropsychological function and sleep parameters improved, awareness increased, and social cognition performance significantly improved. Conclusion: Using sleep psychoeducation and sleep hygiene intervention in medical residents is a simple strategy to mitigate the effects of sleep restriction.