Non-pharmacological therapies for sleep and occupational stress regulation among nightshift nurses: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.

With the rapid advancement of China’s healthcare system, public expectations for the quality of medical and nursing services continue to rise, and nurses are bearing increasingly heavy workloads and work-related stress. Prolonged high-intensity work, complex nurse–patient relationships, and multiple role conflicts render nurses susceptible to occupational burnout, which has emerged as a critical public health issue affecting their physical and mental well-being and the quality of nursing care (; ). According to a large-scale national survey, the prevalence of occupational burnout among clinical nurses in China ranges from 62.8 to 69.6%, a rate significantly higher than that of the general working population, underscoring the urgent need to address nurses’ occupational health (; ). Young and middle-aged nurses aged 18–45 years constitute the core workforce of clinical nursing teams, accounting for more than 70% of all registered nurses in China, and serve as the backbone driving the advancement of the nursing profession (). This cohort is in a critical period of career establishment and progression, while simultaneously facing significant family responsibilities, making them particularly vulnerable to role conflicts and burnout. Therefore, focusing on this specific age group holds practical significance for workforce stability. Their occupational burnout not only affects personal physical and mental health and family harmony but also directly impacts the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Burnout can lead to emotional exhaustion, diminished work engagement, and a detached, indifferent attitude toward patients and the work environment (), thereby impairing work performance and potentially causing medical errors and compromising patient safety (). Studies (; ) have shown that higher levels of burnout are associated with stronger turnover intentions among nurses, which jeopardizes workforce stability and further exacerbates the shortage of nursing human resources. Previous research () has explored interventions for nurse burnout from the perspectives of the external work environment and multifaceted training, yet there is a lack of systematic correlational studies specifically focusing on the core group of young and middle-aged nurses, who may experience unique pressures, from the standpoint of internal psychological regulation. Self-compassion, a core construct in positive psychology, was introduced by . It encompasses three pairs of opposing dimensions: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common humanity versus isolation, and mindfulness versus over-identification (). Self-compassion emphasizes treating one’s own inadequacies and suffering with a caring and understanding attitude, thus offering a novel direction for exploring internal correlates of burnout. According to the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory (), the psychological resources individuals possess are fundamental for coping with stress. As an internal psychological resource, self-compassion may help replenish emotional reserves, mitigate resource depletion, and consequently be associated with lower occupational burnout. Empirical evidence () confirms that self-compassion is positively correlated with individual mental health, helping individuals enhance resilience, reduce emotional exhaustion, promote work–life balance, strengthen self-efficacy, and improve coping strategies (). While the link between self-compassion and burnout has been examined in healthcare professionals globally (; ), research focusing on the unique developmental stage of young and middle-aged nurses within the Chinese healthcare system remains limited.