A new clinical trial has now shown that a wake‑promoting medication called solriamfetol can significantly help early‑morning workers stay awake and improve their performance on the job.
Researchers from Mass General Brigham led the study, which is the first clinical trial to specifically focus on early‑morning shift workers, people who start work between roughly 3 a.m. and 7 a.m.
These workers often struggle not because they lack motivation, but because their bodies’ internal clocks are naturally programmed for sleep during those hours.
As a result, they face a double burden: excessive sleepiness during work hours and trouble getting sufficient rest when it is time to sleep.
The study involved 78 adults diagnosed with shift work disorder, a condition in which misaligned sleep schedules cause persistent daytime sleepiness and impaired performance.
Over a four‑week period, some participants were given solriamfetol, while others received a placebo.
Researchers assessed how well participants could stay awake in situations that simulated their typical work environment and also monitored reports on daily functioning, task performance, and overall alertness.
At the end of the trial, people who took solriamfetol showed clear improvements compared with those taking the placebo. They were able to stay awake longer during work hours, reported less sleepiness, and demonstrated better performance in tasks that required alertness.
Both study participants and the clinicians observing them noted meaningful enhancements in productivity, daily functioning, and quality of life.
The results suggest that solriamfetol may be an effective option for helping early‑morning shift workers overcome the biological disadvantage of starting work before their internal clocks are ready.
Currently, medications such as modafinil are sometimes used to promote wakefulness, but these have primarily been studied in nighttime or overnight shift workers and can affect sleep later in the day.
Solriamfetol, already approved for treating excessive daytime sleepiness in conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy, may offer a more targeted solution for the unique challenges faced by early‑morning workers.
The researchers caution that more study is needed to understand the long‑term effects of solriamfetol, especially over periods longer than four weeks and in broader worker populations.
Follow‑up clinical trials are already underway to explore its potential benefits for overnight shift workers as well, which could lead to wider treatment options for people struggling with shift work disorder.
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