Aim: The present study aimed to assess any association existing between insomnia according to sex, work experience, shift and BMI values in Italian nurses.
Methods: An “ad hoc” questionnaire was created and administered online in October 2020. Data collected included: sex, years of work experience, shift work per day, BMI values, and insomnia levels.
Findings: A total of 341 Italian nurses were enrolled. Of these, 277 (81.23%) were females and n=64 (18.77%) males. No significant differences were assessed between ISI levels and sex, BMI scores, work experience and shift (p=.098; p=.978; p=.561; p=.222, respectively). Significant and inverse correlation was assessed between ISI values and sex (p=.019), BMI values (p=.033). While, no significant correlations were assessed between ISI levels and work experience (p=.805) and shift (p=.962), respectively. However, work experience reported significant correlations between BMI classes (p>.001) and shift (p<.001).
Conclusion: Data suggested potential health risk factors for the nursing workforce, associated with weight gain and developing Metabolic Syndrome. Therefore, the essence of the nursing profession could affect work performance and cause problems in the family and social life, as well as stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and irregular sleep patterns.
Keywords: Body Mass Index, insomnia, nurse, sex, shift work, workload.