IMPACTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

Introduction:Sleep deprivation is the unsatisfactory sleep time for the proper functioning of the individual's body. Health professionals are among those affected by sleep deprivation, resulting in significant damage to physical and mental health and increasing the risk of errors in the professional sphere. Objective: To analyze the effects of sleep deprivation on the mental health of health professionals and how this impacts on their performance and well-being. Model: The study was characterized by exploratory field research with the aim of portraying the theme/problem in depth and giving it more visibility. Two methods were used in this research: the use of bibliographical references and a survey form for the target audience, which was a structured survey with closed questions. Results: The sample totaled 13 participants, aged between 18 and 50, who are health professionals in the category of nursing technicians, nurses, psychologists, radiology technicians and physiotherapists, who voluntarily agreed to take part in the survey, where 23.1% said they worked between 31 and 40 hours a week, 30.8% between 21 and 30 hours a week and 46.2% worked more than 50 hours a week. When asked if they felt that sleep deprivation had damaged their mental and physical health, 7.7% did so occasionally, 7.7% rarely, 38.5% very often and 46.2% often. Conclusion: The results show that sleep deprivation in health professionals has a negative impact on mental health, causing damage in the work, social and personal contexts.