Mentally Demanding Work and Strain: Effects of Study Duration on Fatigue, Vigor, and Distress in Undergraduate Medical Students.

Aims: The impact of the extent of mentally demanding work on the next-day's strain is largely unknown, as existing studies generally investigate consequences of extended versus normal workdays. The present study sought to fill this gap by investigating how short work periods of mentally demanding academic work impact strain reactions in medical students preparing for an exam, using days of no work as reference category.

Method: The observational design involved students repeatedly self-reporting fatigue, vigor, distress, and the preceding day's study duration.