Evaluating the Effects of Night Shifts on Attention and Executive Function of Trakya University Residents Using the Tower of Hanoi Test

DergiPark: 700193tmsjAims: This study aims to evaluate the effects of night shifts on attention and executive function among residents working atTrakya University Hospital. Methods: This prospective study was performed between November 2019 – January 2020 on 83residents working at Trakya University Hospital. The Tower of Hanoi test was used to measure the attention and function level oftwo different groups of residents. The first group being residents working with night shifts and the other group being residentswith regular working hours. After the participants finished solving the puzzle, the number of moves and the finishing time wererecorded. The demographic data about smoking, coffee intake, sleep hours, departments, and hand dominance were also recorded. Results: The participants were composed of 36 (43.4 %) female and 47 (56.6 %) male residents. The difference in smokingrate and sleep time between the two groups were found to be statistically significant whereas the difference between the completion time and moves was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Smoking and duration of sleep may affect the Tower of Hanoipuzzle performance. Although residents working with night shifts did not under-perform, the importance of sleep for cognitiveskills such as attention and coordination cannot be underestimated. Stress caused by night shifts may affect reaction time forproblem-solving, but further studies are needed. Keywords: Nightshift, attention, Tower of Hanoi tes