Dr Nicholas Mabbott is a leading Fatigue Risk Management Specialist with over 28 years of experience dedicated to the science of sleep and its impact on safety, health, and performance. Having trained more than 34,000 people across a wide range of industries, Dr Nick is known for his practical, engaging approach to fatigue education — using real-world stories and evidence-based strategies to help individuals understand how to optimise their sleep around challenging rosters. His expertise has helped restore healthy sleep to individuals suffering from long-term sleep issues and has contributed to measurable improvements in workplace wellbeing and alertness. Passionate and deeply knowledgeable, he recently distilled his life’s work into the book The Wonder of Sleep: Beyond Midnight.

Dr Nick will also be sharing his insights in an upcoming webinar, Sleep and Injury Prevention in the Workplace, hosted by the NSCA Foundation on Wednesday 19 June.

After nearly three decades working in fatigue risk, I’m still surprised by how many fatigue myths persist in workplaces and on the road. These misconceptions can leave people dangerously uninformed about the real impact fatigue has on human performance — leading to poor decisions, serious injuries, and even fatalities.

So, let’s bust a few of the most common myths I’ve come across:

“We only work dayshift, so there’s no fatigue risk.”

Yes, fatigue risk is higher on nightshift — but that doesn’t mean day workers are immune. Some people fall asleep on the *way* to work. As Mahowald & Schenck (2005) noted: “Driving unmasks fatigue.”

The science? During sleep, adenosine (a byproduct of brain activity) is recycled and brain energy is restored by adding phosphate molecules to create adenosine triphosphate. Every hour of sleep provides roughly two hours of brain energy the next day.

A full 7.5 hours? You’re charged for the day. Six hours? You might struggle past lunch. Five or fewer? You’re likely to fall asleep on the drive *to* work — and if you make it, the whole day becomes high-risk.

I once worked with a construction team rostered on 14 straight nightshifts. I implemented 35 controls, including three hours of training. Dayshift workers weren’t trained — because of the myth that dayshift = no risk. In that year: one nightshifter got a band-aid-worthy finger injury. Several dayshift workers were hospitalised. No risk?

“You need to be awake or working a long time to be fatigued.”

Not true. People who crash are more often under-slept than simply awake too long. In collaboration with WA Police Major Crash Division, we found that out of 19 fatigue-crashes, only three drivers had been awake for more than 16 hours. Thirteen had simply had too little sleep — 5.5 hours or less the night before.

“Stop every two hours for a break.”

That’s long been the road safety mantra. But many fatigue-related crashes happen well before two hours. I’ve investigated a crash that occurred just six minutes into the drive.

If you’re sleep-deprived and sitting still, the brain sees its chance to sleep. Why? Because the brain prioritises three things: blood, oxygen — and energy. Safety doesn’t make the top three.

People who fall asleep at the wheel aren’t necessarily careless — they’re just unaware they’re running on empty. I recommend stopping every hour, or more frequently if you’ve had only five to six hours of sleep. Less than five? Consider not driving at all.

“If you’re tired, a short break will fix it.”

It depends on what level of fatigue you’re in.

– Tired? A two-minute stretch and walk may be enough to restore focus.
– Drowsy? A short break likely won’t help — you’re entering Stage One Sleep. You might not recall parts of the drive, and you’re “Driving Without Awareness.” Your hazard reaction time increases dangerously. If you continue to drive drowsy, consider that ‘dangerous driving’.
– Sleepy? You need a 20-minute nap in a safe, secure spot. Stretch, walk, and — for best results — have a caffeine drink before the nap. Caffeine kicks in after 20 minutes, just as you’re waking up. Combined, this gives you another two hours of alert performance.

Still feeling off? Reconsider the trip. Food, hydration, or a change in plan might be necessary.

Journey management plans are only needed for employees living more than 100km from work.

Wrong. After a nightshift, any drive home is high-risk. A young man in NSW died just 20 minutes into his post-nightshift commute.

Warm air from a heater or demister can worsen drowsiness. The longer you’ve been awake and the less you slept before, the more likely your brain will demand sleep — even behind the wheel.

Every commute after nightshift should involve a journey management plan. Even short commutes after dayshift can be risky, depending on sleep quality and quantity.

“Car-pooling reduces fatigue risk.”

It can — but not always.

There are clear benefits: conversation breaks up the monotony, passengers can monitor the driver’s alertness, and there’s the option to switch drivers.

But more than half the fatigue-related crashes I’ve investigated had one thing in common: sleeping passengers.

A sleeping passenger offers no support. In fact, their presence can discourage drivers from pulling over — they don’t want to wake them.

The passenger has one job: help keep the driver awake, alert, and safe. That means conversation, active monitoring, and stepping in when the driver isn’t self-aware enough to notice signs of fatigue.