Surgeon Sleep Timing Tied to Risk - Scorecard - MDSpire
Coming Soon: Introducing MDSpire News. Learn more
Conexiant’s news site is now MDSpire News. Learn more

Surgeon Sleep Timing Tied to Risk

Severe social jet lag among surgeons was associated with higher rates of major adverse events, independent of sleep duration, workload, and patient risk.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • June 3, 2026

  • 5 min

Share

Clinical Scorecard: Surgeon Sleep Timing Tied to Risk

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionMajor adverse events following surgery
Key MechanismsAssociation between surgeon sleep timing irregularity and postoperative complications
Target PopulationAdult patients undergoing surgery
Care SettingUniversity hospitals

Key Highlights

  • Surgeons with severe social jet lag (≥2 hours) had a 36% higher adjusted risk of major adverse events.
  • Major adverse events occurred in 20% of operations studied.
  • Only 5% of operations were performed by surgeons with severe social jet lag.
  • Midsleep time variability and sleep duration were not independently associated with adverse events.
  • Burnout among surgeons correlated with higher social jet lag and midsleep time variability.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Assess surgeon sleep timing using social jet lag metrics.

Management

  • Consider surgeon sleep regularity as a factor in surgical outcomes.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Monitor sleep patterns of surgeons to identify potential risks.

Risks

  • Severe social jet lag is associated with increased risk of major adverse events.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Adult surgical patients excluding palliative and organ donation procedures.

Surgeon sleep timing may influence postoperative outcomes.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Encourage consistent sleep schedules for surgeons.
  • Evaluate surgeon burnout as part of preoperative assessments.
  • Implement monitoring of sleep patterns in surgical teams.

Related Resources & Content

Original Source(s)

Surgeon Sleep Timing Tied to Risk

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • June 3, 2026

Related Content

Medical Oddities: Could multilingualism keep you young?

From multilingual minds to pomegranate hearts, gastric mischief, and swishable tea, science stays delightfully odd.

Can Sugammadex Lower Postsurgical Pulmonary Complications?

A large international randomized trial found fewer postoperative pulmonary complications with sugammadex vs. neostigmine following major abdominal or thoracic surgery, although the difference was driven primarily by reduced atelectasis.

Low IMA Ligation Did Not Significantly Reduce Leaks

A randomized trial found similar short-term morbidity and 12-month functional outcomes with both approaches, while highlighting the need to balance perfusion with a tension-free anastomosis.